When I'm Gone
by ninjafan101
Summary: A series of events unfold in the life of Namikaze Naruto that force him into extraordinary circumstances and trap in a position he never wished to be in. When the fate of the world hangs in the balance, he'll have to fight - even if he doesn't want to.
1. Exile

**When I'm Gone Chap. 1**

The gentle spring winds blew through through the field, caressing it with its warmth and serenity. He smiled as he fell back into the grass beneath him. He adored such peace and tranquility. Being a shinobi, his life was more full of blood and violence than passion and love. He wished he could stay like this forever. Alas, such a dream would never be. With a sigh, he stood up, a few blades of grass falling from his clothes. Running a hand through his thick blonde hair, he went off in search of his teammates.

His thoughts drifted to the difficulty of hiding so many secrets from the public. There were only two living people besides himself who knew these secrets. Every. Single. One. If anyone else knew his secrets, he would surely be exiled from Konoha without question. His most well known "secret" was that he was the Jinchuriki to the Kyuubi no Kitsune, the demon fox that nearly destroyed Konoha nearly fourteen years ago. The villagers have tried many times to kill him out of fear, though that stopped after he became a shinobi. He has not yet revealed this to his friends, who were mostly unaware of his demonic powers.

His second secret was the mask he wore whenever he was in public. He would purposely act like a carefree moron when he was around other people in order to keep the attention. His real personality was much more calm and collected, though he was far from antisocial. Very rarely has his mask slipped in public, though he had allowed it in several life-or-death situations in the past.

Perhaps his most well-guarded secret, his last secret was the most dangerous of them all. He learned of the circumstances only a week prior, and to be honest with himself, he still had a hard time believing it. If word of it were to become public, he would be exiled without question. He was a hanyou – a person with half-demon ancestry. As such, he was granted abilities that a normal human would not be able to possess. Also, he noticed, he was growing at an abnormal rate. Only a week ago he stood at 4'11'', but now he measured at 5'5''. In addition to the Kyuubi's abilities and his own prowess, he was very powerful. In fact, he could give Jiraiya a run for his money if they were both serious enough. This secret tied into the secret of his parentage, which he believed to be a blessing rather than a curse.

On the day of his fourteenth birthday, he learned the truth of his heritage. His father was named Namikaze Minato, the world-renowned Fourth Hokage of Konoha. His mother was his fiance, Lady Uzumaki Kushina of the Whirlpool Country. She was the heiress – or princess – to the throne of the Whirlpool Country, and was to ascend the throne after her marriage to Minato. However, the Kyuubi attacked took both of their lives. His mother died in battle, giving her lover and son time to seal the beast away. After the Kyuubi was safely sealed within his son, Minato passed away as a result of the jutsu he used. He learned that his mother was a hanyou as well, thus where his hanyou abilities came from.

If the village council knew that he was a hanyou, then he was going to be exiled from his home. So, in order to prove that he was an asset to the village and not a danger to it at all, he spent many hours each day training his skills. Jiraiya often supervised his training, stepping in if his powers began to overwhelm him. So far, he had gotten a grip on his basic hanyou abilities, and was able to maintain himself using three tails of Kyuubi's power. Aside from those powers, he was now able to manipulate wind chakra and utilize it in battle. Jiraiya estimated that, if he were to master all three sets of skills he had at his disposal, then it would be possible for him to match the strength of all three Sannin combined. However, his abilities were still in the developmental stage. It would be a long while before he became that powerful. It would take months, maybe even years, before he mastered it all. The most difficult aspect of it all, though, was keeping it a secret.

He arrived at the training area where, to his surprise, he found all of his friends talking amongst themselves. '_What could they be talking about?_' he wondered as he approached them. He approached cautiously, making sure that he was not detected by any of them. He made doubly sure that he masked his chakra so no one, not even those with Kekkei Genkai, could see him. He got within earshot of the group, listening in on their conversation.

"Okay, so we all agree that Naruto cannot find out about this." a girl said. She had short pink hair and emerald green eyes. She wore a red belly shirt outlined in white with a hollow circle design on her back. Along with this she wore a light pink battle skirt with black shorts underneath. The skirt was cut so it was more like two cloths hanging from her belt. Naruto knew her to be Haruno Sakura, a genjutsu mistress and a medic-nin to boot.

"Right. Though, I don't feel comfortable keeping secrets from him." a blue haired boy remarked. He had soft green eyes, wearing a red jacket over a yellow shirt with black sweatpants. The jacket's collar covered his neck slightly. He also had red bands around his wrists. He was Naruto's friend, Mokushi Taiyou, heir to his clan and holder of the Atsusagan.

"But this is important. If Naruto knew, he'd have a fit! You know how he is." a blonde haired girl replied. Her hair was worn in a long ponytail, with a smaller one accenting her face and light blue eyes. She wore a purple belly shirt similar to Sakura's, except it was buttoned down the middle and her abdomen was wrapped in bandages. She also wore these bandages around her forearms and thighs. She had black spandex shorts under a purple battle skirt like Sakura's. She was Yamanaka Ino, one of Sakura's old friends and Naruto's acquaintance. She was a master of interrogation and manipulation.

"This is what must be done. I don't particularly revel in it, but it's the way it has to be." a young boy with long brown hair replied. He had light lavender eyes, though they were serious in nature. He wore a white short-sleeved shirt with a black stripe going down the front and around his collar. The yin-yang symbol was etched into the back of the shirt. With it, he wore a pair of black shorts with a chain hanging from his back pocket. Bandages lined the shape of his arms and legs. Naruto recognized him as Hyuga Neji, a friend and rival of his, hailed as the prodigy of the Hyuga Clan.

"But why? I mean, I get the point, but still...." an auburn haired boy asked. He had dark cerulean eyes filled with a kind demeanor. He wore a forest green jacket, with the fabric hued lighter on the sides, over a dark orange shirt. To complete the look, he wore baggy brown cargo pants. This was Naga Aki, a young boy Naruto had befriended and a genjutsu master of the highest degree.

"This training is supposed to be a secret. If Naruto knew, he'd butt in. What we need to do is get stronger and what he needs is rest." a girl said. She had long black hair and gentle hazel eyes. She wore a red crop top with a matching shorts and boots. Fishnet coverings spread over her abdomen, forearms and legs to prevent over-exposition. She was Tsubasa Aira, a friend of Naruto's from the Academy and a master of lightning jutsu.

"Yeah, Aira's right. We respect him, but we can't have him saving us all the times." her male teammate added. He was small, with light brown hair and bright green eyes. He wore a light brown vest over a white t-shirt. A water drop design was on his chest, encircled in black. He had white baggy cargo shorts, with a small scroll hanging from the side. This was Aka Shikin, one of Naruto's old friends from the Academy and a talented water jutsu specialist.

"He's been over working himself as well. Even he has his limits." a girl added. She had short length blonde hair and deep emerald eyes. She wore a pink tank top with the astrological symbol for the planet Mars sewn into her back. She wore a white battle skort over a black pair of shorts, with black knee-high boots to finish the look. She also wore black leather gloves on her hands, giving her a hunter-like appearance. She was Mokusuke Natoyo, another companion of Naruto's and a famed hunter and fire jutsu specialist.

"It is admirable to work oneself so hard, but it is important to know when to rest and when to train." one boy said. He had black hair in a howl cut and large, bug-like black eyes. He wore a white short-sleeved jumpsuit with green stripes going down the sides of his shirt and shorts. A green lightning-bolt design was on his chest, circled twice in thin green lines. He was Roku Lee, a close friend of Naruto's and a talented taijutsu expert.

"If you ask me, this whole mess is still troublesome." another boy commented. He had muddy brown eyes and jet black hair tied in a small ponytail on his head. He wore a black vest with white outlines on his chest. With it, he had a pair of black sweatpants and a cloak around his shoulders. Black leather gloves adorned his hands. This was Nara Shikamaru, a new recruit to the Konoha espionage department and one of Naruto's closest friends. His vast intelligence allowed him access to the espionage agency.

"Maybe we should change the subject......" a large boy commented. He had spiky brown hair and soft hazel eyes. He wore a blue vest over a white shirt with the kanji for 'meal' on it. With it, he had a pair of black shorts and a bandanna tied around his neck. Bandages were wrapped around his arms and legs. He was Akimichi Chouji, a close friend of Shikamaru's and an acquaintance of Naruto's. He was a master of his clan's secret jutsu.

"Yeah, like what this training is really like." a brown haired boy said. He had dark brown eyes and two red triangle-like marks on his face. He wore a black leather jacket with matching leather pants. His jacket was zipped over slightly, revealing a gray undershirt beneath it. A large white dog sat next to his master, several brown spots decorating his body. He was Inuzuka Kiba and his nin-dog Akamaru, masters of the Inuzuka arts and perfect partners.

"I hope it'll be useful." one girl commented. She had long brown hair and muddy brown eyes. She wore a gray short-sleeved jacket over a white undershirt, with a dragon-shaped design on her left side. The dragon's jaw was around a star pattern on her back. She wore a gray spandex skirt with matching knee-high boots. Fishnet coverings ran down her arms, reaching her wrists. She was Hanori Kiyoko, Aira's and Shikin's teammate and a master of earth elemental jutsu.

"Of course it'll be useful! Look at how many of us there are!" another girl retorted. She had dark brown hair in two buns on either side of her head, with light brown eyes matching her features. She wore a red crop-top under a magenta hued cloak that reached her thighs. Two white bands were tied around her hair buns, hanging at knee-length. She wore a pair of dark blue sweatpants to finish the outfit. She was Amachi Tenten, a good friend of Naruto's and a weapons expert.

"This training shall prove to be beneficial to all involved. It was a clever idea to invent such an utilitarian way to strength ourselves." a boy said. He wore a hood over his brown hair, and his green eyes were hidden behind dark tinted sunglasses. He wore a white baggy jacket over a baggy black shirt, which had a collar that covered the lower half of his face. He also had a pair of black sweatpants with a chain hanging from his back pocket. His shirt and jacket hung just above his knees. This was Aburame Shino, an enigmatic friend of Naruto's and a master of the Aburame Clan's insect jutsu.

"Sakura deserves most of the credit. She came up with the idea." another boy said nonchalantly. He had spiky black hair, his bangs hanging from the sides of his face, and dark obsidian eyes. He wore a black sweat jacket over a blue t-shirt, with a red and white fan design on his back. With it, he wore a pair of black sweatpants. A necklace with a charm shaped like a fireball was around his neck, symbolizing his heritage. This was Uchiha Sasuke, the last surviving Uchiha, holder of the Sharingan and Naruto's main rival.

"B-But......why c-can't Naruto-kun come to the training?" a quiet voice spoke up. The girl had long midnight blue hair that rested softly on her back, with pale lavender eyes that shone with an inner vitality. She wore a light blue baggy jacket with white trimmings, the yin-yang symbol etched into the back. She also wore a pair of baggy white pants, the lighter coloring highlighting her placid skin tone. Her name was Hyuga Hinata, the heiress to the Hyuga Clan and wielder of the Byakugan.

"Because, like Lee said before, he's been overworking himself. He needs to rest before he overexerts himself and blows his limit." Sakura explained to her.

"It still feels like we're.....betraying him though....." Hinata quietly complained. Kiba patted her shoulder gently.

"Don't worry Hinata. It's only 'til Naruto takes a little break. Then he'll be on the field with the rest of us." he said encouragingly. She sighed reluctantly.

"Okay.....I s-suppose if that's how it'll work....." she relented. With that, Sakura continued her explanation.

"Now that that's cleared up, we're going to hold a little tournament, with one-on-one matches going around. Since there's only seventeen of us at the moment, someone will get a free pass. Whoever faces that person will have a five-minute break so they won't be at a disadvantage. Now, we'll draw straws. Whoever has the shortest straw will get the free pass." she said. She held up several straws in her hand. Everyone came and picked up, leaving only one left in her hand. Once making sure everyone had one, she nodded in confirmation.

"Okay, reveal on the count of three. One.......two.......three!" she called. Everyone showed their straws at the same time, carefully observing the others. They were easily able to point out the shortest of them all.

"Looks like Hinata-chan's got it. You'll have to sit out this round." Sakura said to her friend, slightly upset it was her. Hinata seemed disheartened, though hid it with a small smile.

"Okay. I guess I could, uh, watch the others and think of how to fight them." she offered as an excuse.

"That's the spirit, Hinata! Okay now, let's split up into groups." Sakura said, turning to the others.

Naruto watched from his spot above in the trees. To be honest, he was hoping Hinata would be able to fight, just to prove she's capable of doing so. However, fate apparently had other plans. He watched as the girl sat against the trunk of the tree, watching as the others started to battle. Naruto would've stayed longer, but a sudden sensation made him turn in the other direction. He knew exactly what it was.

Due to his hanyou abilities, he was able to discern messages from the chakra fluctuation in the air via a comrade who knew how. So far, only two people knew how to call him like that. With a sigh, he vanished from his spot, heading towards the Hokage Tower. Whatever Tsunade wanted to see him for, it must be important for her to use that ability. He hoped that it wasn't another assassination mission.....

(Current Day: Hokage's Tower)

Tsunade was highly stressed by the mission report on her desk. Standing next to her was Hyuga Hiashi, the father of Hinata and the head of the Hyuga Clan. He was the one who posted the mission report, for a reason he claimed was personal. She had called Naruto a few minutes prior, and the blonde was on his way.

"How could this have been kept a secret for so long?" she asked Hiashi in frustration. The Hyuga head replied with a shrug of agreement.

"I'm not sure myself. It was foolish of the counsel to elect this a secret from the public, especially from him. How would Minato react if he knew?" he inquired. Tsunade scoffed in reply.

"You would think being his aunt would entitle me to that knowledge. Yet even I would not know." she said. Hiashi sighed regretfully.

"Had I known who he was, I never would've allowed him to be mistreated like that." he commented in remorse.

"If we had all known, he wouldn't have been mistreated. But, sadly, we cannot erase the past. Though, it may be a good thing. It has shaped him into the person he is today." she remarked.

"I suppose that is one good thing that came out of this mess." he remarked with a small smirk. Before their conversation could continue, the open to the office swung open, revealing Naruto standing behind it.

"Tsunade-baa-chan, what's wrong?" he asked. The elder woman hide her emotions behind a stern face, staring at him with serious eyes.

"Naruto, I have just received a mission report from Hyuga Hiashi, the head of the Hyuga Clan. I believe you two are acquaintances?" she said. Naruto bowed respectfully towards Hiashi, who returned the gesture. Upon discovering his heritage, he learned that Hiashi and Minato were close, if not best, friends when they were younger. After discussing the events of the past, Naruto and Hiashi had also developed a steady friendship. He had won favor with Hiashi earlier in his shinobi career when he bested Neji during the Chunin Exams, and again when he helped and encouraged Hinata to change herself. Since then, Naruto had gotten along greatly with the Hyuga Clan. Though, as to why Hiashi was here, he was clueless.

"Hiashi-san, it's nice to see you again. Did something happen at the Hyuga Complex?" Naruto inquired. Hiashi nodded in confirmation.

"A thief had broken into the manor, snatched but a single item, then fled without anyone hearing him. However, he did leave small traces of his trail that we found with our Byakugan. I have reason to believe it was a shadow thief that had stolen it." he explained. Naruto was further confused. His explanation was somewhat vague, but he did get the message that something did indeed occur.

"What was stolen? And, what's a shadow thief?" he asked in curiosity. This time, Tsunade spoke up.

"A shadow thief is just as the name suggests. They are thieves that travel swiftly and quietly through the shadows as to avoid detection by enemies during espionage or assassination missions. Most of the time, they have had shinobi training in the past, which allows them to travel with such ease. As to what was stolen.......well, that's what worries us. What was stolen was one of the twelve Holy Crystals." she explained. Naruto's eyes widened at this revelation.

"A Holy Crystal!? B-But, is that possible? I thought they were only legend!" he exclaimed in surprise.

"Years ago, when the world was young, the unbalance of nature allowed evil forces to control the lands. Many people perished under the harsh conditions and unrelenting cruelty. However, twelve brave warriors stood up against the darkness and defeated it, sealing it back within the demonic dimension from whence it came. In order to ensure that peace rained over the lands they had worked so hard to save, each hero created a crystal from their own chakra and infused it with the natural element they were most familiar with. Afterwards, they blessed the crystal to give them the power needed to protect our world. Each element – fire, water, earth, wind, lightning, ice, wood, light, darkness, steel, cosmic and arcane – is kept in balance by these crystals. If they were disturbed by any dark forces, the balance of nature would once more be thrown into turmoil." Hiashi explained.

"The creator of the Fire Crystal was an early founder of the Hyuga Clan. Therefore, the clan has guarded the crystal for centuries until now. If one crystal was stolen, chances are the other eleven are also viable targets. Your mission is to retrieve the Fire Crystal and to protect the others from being stolen as well. In order to avoid suspicion, you'll have to go undercover." Tsunade explained. Naruto nodded anxiously, fully understanding the situation.

"Okay, I get it. What do I go undercover as?" he asked. At this, both Hiashi and Tsunade became visibly solemn and troubled. Naruto looked at them both in confusion. It wasn't normal for them to let their emotions be displayed freely.

"......A missing-nin." Tsunade replied darkly. He froze at her words, looking at her in shock and despair.

"A......missing-nin? B-But why!? I mean, I didn't do anything, and-" his complaints were cut off by Hiashi, who spoke up over him.

"This is only a cover. We know you are not really a missing-nin and so does the council. When you return, you'll be welcomed back as if you were on a normal mission." he explained.

"We rarely use pseudo-missing-nins to do things, but this is one of those fews exceptions. If you started collecting the crystals in Konoha's name, our neighbors might begin to think we're plotting something and declare war on us in fear of the unknown. This is also to avoid unneeded bloodshed and lost of life. You do understand, don't you?" Tsunade asked. Naruto solemnly nodded in agreement.

"I suppose, when you put it that way, I really don't have a say in the matter. I understand. But......if you have to send ninja after me, please tell my friends the truth. They have a right to know." he pleaded. Tsunade sighed in reluctance.

"I'll try to, but once they hear about it, they will go after you. Nothing I say will stop them. Are you prepared to face that possibility?" she asked him. He hesitated for a moment, thinking deeply. Without uttering a sound, he nodded.

"I can fight them as long as they don't go all out on me. If I go all out on them, it'll reveal things I don't want them to know yet." he replied.

"Understood. You are to leave tonight, when there is no one around. I will let the night guards, Nara Shikaku and Akimichi Chouza, know of your mission so they will not hinder you. I suggest going home to rest and spend the night with your friends. It'll be the last time you see them for a while." Tsunade urged. Making sure there were no tears in his eyes, he nodded.

"Arigato, Tsunade-sama." he replied, his voice hiding the smallest traces of pain and sadness. He left the room before his tears could fall. Tsunade looked down at the top of her desk in shame. How could she have let him down so? Hiashi could easily sense her inner turmoils.

"Tsunade-sama?" he questioned. She straightened up, an expression of resolve in her eyes. She turned to the Hyuga head with an idea brewing in her head.

"Hiashi, let your daughters and nephew know that Uzumaki Naruto has escaped from Konoha tomorrow morning. Make it sound convincing. Those three will be part of his 'rescue team.'" she ordered. Hiashi raised in eyebrow in response.

"What are you planning?" he asked, questioning not only her plan, but her mental integrity as well.

"The members of the Konoha 20 will be sent after Naruto to retrieve him. Ha, I don't know why I didn't think of this before! I'll have Naruto's friends track him down so they can see exactly how strong he's become. Perhaps they may even join him in his mission. The elders may think they've finally rid themselves of 'that Kyuubi brat,' but they'll lose twenty valuable shinobi in the process." Tsunade explained. Hiashi began to catch onto her plan.

"You plan on having Naruto's friends discover his secrets and accompany him as 'rogue ninja,' aren't you?" he asked. Tsunade smirked devilishly in response.

"The elders aren't the only ones who can play dirty." she replied, walking out of the office with a newfound sense of pride. Hiashi couldn't help but laugh. _'Just like Minato.'_ he thought.

(Current Day: Naruto's Apartment)

Naruto walked through the door to his apartment, taking in the feelings as he tossed his keys on the counter. He won't be needing those anytime soon. This would be one of the last times he would be able to relax at home – or anywhere actually, considering the nature and urgency of his mission. With a solemn sigh, he reclined on his couch, staring at the ceiling in deep thought. He would have to traverse the known world in order to find the Twelve Holy Crystals, possibly more to find the one that was stolen. It was bound to be a grueling and lengthy journey.

"Yo kiddo." a voice said. He sat up in surprise, not expecting the voice he heard. Sitting on his window sill was his mentor Jiraiya. The expression on his face told Naruto that he knew about his mission.

"Jiraiya........I'm sorry." he said apologetically. The fact that the blonde had used his real name and not his nickname told Jiraiya that he was depressed about the situation he was in. He loved his village with all his heart; for him to be banished from it in order to save it was the ultimate irony in his life. No, perhaps that was inaccurate. The ultimate irony was that he saved the village from the demon fox Kyuubi and was hated for it.

"What are you apologizing for?" he asked. Naruto looked away from his master, unable to face him directly.

"I always said I wanted to be Hokage........I thought I'd be able to do anything to protect my home. But now......I don't know anymore." he admitted. Jiraiya put his hand on his shoulder and looked him straight in the eye.

"I understand what you mean. What you must do......it's not a task most are capable of. However, you were chosen because we all have faith in you. Don't ever forget that, even if things seem its bleakest, there is always a better day ahead." he said encouragingly. Naruto smiled lightly as he turned to his mentor.

"I know, but......everything I've worked so hard to get here....I'm afraid it'll all be taken away." he replied, his smile fading. Jiraiya just smiled a cocky grin.

"Don't forget, you have a great bunch of friends that believe in you. Ever since you rescued Sasuke from Orochimaru and released his curse mark, everyone has seen you in a better light." he pointed out. The mission to retrieve Sasuke from Orochimaru had ended in the Valley of the End, where Naruto finally managed to defeat Sasuke and destroy the curse mark dictating his actions.

A side effect of the mark, however, caused Sasuke to temporarily develop amnesia. As such, he hardly remembered a distraught Team 7 when they came to visit him. Instead of letting things take their course, Naruto and Sakura decided to use their teammate's amnesia to try and bring him out of the antisocial shell he had created. The results were even better than they expected.

After Sasuke regained his memories, he personally thanked them for helping him in his time of need. Even if he didn't want to admit it, they played a major part in his life and he needed them as much as they needed him. Naruto even noticed that he seemed to be getting a lot closer to Sakura than before. He decided to let them work out their own problems. Like now, he had his own problems to worry about.

"That's true, but my friends won't know the truth if they just rush after me without hearing Tsunade-baa-chan's reasoning! I don't want to fight them!" Naruto replied.

"Then you try to convince them. Explain to them what happened and why you have to go. They'd probably only listen to you anyway." Jiraiya remarked. The blonde sighed dejectedly.

"I guess only time will tell....." he agreed.

(That night: Konoha Gates)

Naruto stood at the gates of Konoha, a pack slung over his shoulder. It was time. He started taking a few steps towards the gate, leaving for an undetermined amount of time. The images of his beloved friends ran through his mind, all smiling and laughing with each other. He wasn't going to see them again for a while, and when he was they were going to be enemies on the battlefield. Just as he was about to leave, a voice called out to him.

"Oh, Naruto, it's you. Come here for a sec, will ya?" an older voice said to him. He turned to see Nara Shikaku, the father of Shikamaru, and Akimichi Chouza, the father of Chouji, standing guard by the gate.

"Shikaku-san! Chouza-san! Boy, for a minute there, I thought someone caught me already." Naruto admitted. The two older men laughed a little at the boy's response.

"Don't worry Naruto. Tsunade-sama told us about your mission already. We wish you the best of luck." Shikaku said.

"When tomorrow comes, we'll have to try and play the part of innocent bystander when we tell our kids about you leaving. Tsunade-sama sent a message to all the parents of the Konoha 20 about it. They'll be taken care of, so just focus on getting the Holy Crystals." Chouza said consolingly. The blonde nodded in recognition.

"Thank you. I promise I'll save this world so everyone can live in it peacefully, and I'm not gonna die until I do." he promised.

"We expect nothing less. Now get going and good luck!" Shikaku said. Naruto nodded in response and sped out of the gate, his mission officially beginning. _'I promise......I won't die.'_ he vowed. With his promise heard only by the darkened winds of night, he disappeared into the shadows and into his newest adventure.

(The Next Morning: Hyuga Complex)

The Hyuga Complex was famous throughout Konoha for being one of the most majestic, peaceful and tranquil places in the entire village, if not the whole country. However, the normal peace and quiet was shattered by a loud slamming sound.

Hinata fell over from her bed in surprise at the sudden sound. Her blanket followed suit, and she soon found herself looking up at her father from the floor. He had a worried look plastered on his features.

"Father? Is there.....something amiss?" she asked curiously. It was very rare to see her father display any type of concern or angst of any kind. For him to be so concerned meant it had to be something big.

"I have an urgent message from the Hokage. It seems that.......Uzumaki Naruto has fled the village." Hiashi regretfully reported. Hinata sat straight up in shock at the revelation.

"W-What?! W-What does that mean?" she asked in a similar manner.

"Last night, the two guards at the gate only caught the fleeting glimpse of the all too familiar form of Uzumaki Naruto running from the Konoha. He had a pack around his shoulder and they had not received any notification from the Hokage that he had a mission. Therefore, he is now considered a missing nin and a team of shinobi is being assembled to track him down. You, your cousin and your sister have been chosen as part of the team." Hiashi explained. Hinata could feel her heart breaking as her father motioned for her to stand from the floor.

"Please prepare yourself for what's to come. I will inform Neji and Hanabi, then the three of you will proceed to the Hokage's Tower." he said. She nodded silently and he left the room. She turned, put her blanket on her bed and sat down on it. She drew her knees to her chest and buried her head between them. She let her tears flow freely.

(Later: Hokage's Tower)

The Hyuga trio soon arrived at the tower, where the guards recognized them. They allowed them inside, having been informed of their presence beforehand. Hanabi looked up to her sister worriedly.

"Hinata, are you alright?" she asked. She wore a dark brown short sleeved shirt with black sweatpants clinging to her delicate legs. Her shirt had a V-neck cut, with fishnet coverings right above her breast. She had the same eyes as her sister, but her father's long brown hair.

"I will be once I learn the truth." Hinata replied sadly. Neji seemed concerned for his cousin's wellbeing, but decided it would be best to let the Hokage explain the full situation.

"Hinata-sama, just remember that Hanabi-san and I are here if you need us." he offered reassuringly. She smiled and nodded at them.

"Yes, I know. Now, let's go." she said. They only walked a few more steps when they saw a small crowd of people in the waiting room. They instantly recognized all of them.

"It's......the Konoha 20!" Hanabi exclaimed in surprise. Sakura, hearing her outburst, turned to see them. She seemed confused and hurt by the news.

"Hinata......Neji......Hanabi......I can't believe it." she remarked, tears threatening to fall. Aki came over to comfort her.

"Sakura-san, don't worry. We don't know the full story, so maybe its a misunderstanding." he said encouragingly.

"I hope you're right, Aki." Sakura replied. Suddenly, the door to Tsunade's office opened, revealing the Hokage herself. She seemed sullen and depressed, a bottle of sake in her hand.

"It seems you're all here. Good, then I won't have to explain more than once. Everyone, please sit down before we begin." she instructed. They did so, curious as to what was going on. Tsunade sighed as she began.

"Yesterday, at approximately twelve o'clock midnight, the night guards caught sight of Uzumaki Naruto fleeing the village with only a single pack over his shoulder. They had no notification from me that he had a mission, and therefore came straight to me to report it. As of now, he is classified as a wanted missing-nin and is to be captured for arrest." she explained. Silence followed as the Genin took in this information. Then, they began to speak up.

"But why would Naruto-nii-san want to run away from the village? He wants to be Hokage someday!" a young boy exclaimed. He had dark brown, almost black, spiky hair and obsidian eyes. He wore a long, dark blue scarf around his neck, along with a turquoise blue jacket and black sweatpants. He was Sarutobi Konohamaru, the grandson of the late Sandaime Hokage and Naruto's surrogate younger brother.

"We have reason to believe that he has pilfered the Fire Holy Crystal from the Hyuga Compound as well. He may very well be searching for them all for some unknown purpose." the Hokage reported. This came as a shock to the Genin, who retaliated angrily.

"How could you be so cold-hearted!? You're jumping to conclusions with so little evidence!" Ino said accusingly.

"Naruto has done nothing to abuse our trust! How could you say things like that?" Taiyou asked, disappointed in his Hokage.

"It is also entirely possible that Naruto went in pursuit of the thief who truly pilfered the crystal. It stands to reason that, given his past behavior, he would act rashly and not realize the consequences of his actions." Shino said calmly, though there was an annoyed undertone. As more complaints began to erupt, Tsunade silenced the room with a mighty shout.

"QUIET!" she ordered. The room instantly obeyed. "I do not now, nor have I ever, doubted Naruto. I know for a fact that he would not have done this without good reason. What I want is for you all to discover what that reason is." she said.

"We understand, Tsunade-sama. We promise, we will bring him home." Sasuke said on behalf of the group. Just as they prepared to leave, she stopped them once more.

"Wait, everyone, please. There is......something else I must share with you." she said. This piqued their curiosity. The Hokage was never one known to deign to share her secrets with people.

"Naruto once told me that, should something ever happen to him, to tell you all the truth about him." she said. This caught everyone off guard. The truth about Naruto? What did that mean?

"What do you mean by 'the truth?'" Shikin asked. Tsunade sighed to herself as she began. She couldn't believe she was doing this, but this is what Naruto wanted her to do. She was not going to dirty his name any more than it had been already.

"There are three things about Naruto that you, along with most of the public, have no idea about. The first is probably the hardest to believe, so I'll start with that. Only one day after Naruto was born, the Kyuubi attacked Konoha. As you all know, many shinobi lost their lives that day trying to subdue it long enough for the Fourth Hokage to kill it. However, no human being could ever kill a Bijuu by ordinary means. So, he was forced to use a human child, a newborn baby, to seal the beast away." she explained. She allowed them to fill in the blanks. It didn't take long for them to figure it out. She could tell by their horrified expressions.

"You mean.......Naruto has the Kyuubi sealed inside him?" Aira asked in shock. Tsunade merely nodded in confirmation.

"No way......Naruto's kept that a secret from us this whole time?" Chouji asked sadly.

"Having the Kyuubi sealed inside him resulted in him being able to call upon its powers. He also has much more chakra and vitality than most people. However, there is another reason as to why that is. The last two secrets are in this folder." Tsunade said. Everyone looked at her questioningly as she revealed a small file from her robes. She placed it on the desk between them, letting them read it themselves. Sakura picked it up and skimmed through it, reading the highlighted data. She gasped in shock as she peered at the bottom of the page.

"No way......How could this have been kept a secret for so long?" she asked as the others crowded around her to see.

"What is it Sakura? What did it say?" Taiyou asked. She turned to them in disbelief.

"According to this file, the Fourth Hokage – a man named Minato Namikaze – fell in love with and married Lady Uzumaki Kushina, the heiress to the throne of the Whirlpool Kingdom and a hanyou. They had a total of three children – one girl and twin boys. After their deaths, relatives took in all but one. The same child used in the demonic sealing process, a hanyou due to his mother's garuda blood, and remained in Konoha. That child was......Namikaze Naruto." Sakura said, reading the file aloud. There was a chilling silence as the information sinked in. Hinata fell to her knees in remorse.

"He's been through so much.......and all anybody ever did was ignore and belittle him. He was put through hell on earth since the day he was born....." she remarked, tears shaking her voice.

"Hinata-nee-san....." Hanabi knelt down to comfort her sister, but Hinata refused, shaking her arm away from her sister's grasp.

"Don't you see!? Naruto had every right to do what he did! Who'd want to live in a village where everyone hates you, and the few people who like you don't even know you?!" she rebutted hysterically. Hanabi was taken aback by her sudden animosity. Many of the others looked down in shame. Surprisingly, it was Sasuke who spoke up first.

"I'm going. This is a waste of time." he said nonchalantly as he headed for the door. His indifference angered many of the others.

"Sasuke, what the hell are you talking about?" Taiyou asked threateningly. The Uchiha heir looked at him with a calm expression.

"If we're going to find Naruto and tell him that he's being stupid and that he should just come home, it'll help if we get ready to go now. Sitting around here feeling sorry for ourselves is not going to get anything done. Instead of wasting time, we should be moving." he explained.

"......Sasuke is right." Aki said, bringing attention to himself. "We have to find Naruto and let him know that he's not alone anymore. Maybe if we appeal to his emotions, he might come back without a fight." he continued.

"What if we have to fight him?" Kiyoko asked, bringing up the possibility. Silence. Aki spoke up once more.

"Then we don't hold back." he replied solemnly.

"I think that's something we'd all like to avoid." Shikin interjected, trying to bring an optimistic view into things.

"Let's get ready for our mission. This is one we have to succeed." Hinata said with steeled determination. Everyone agreed unanimously and without hesitation.

"We have reason to believe that, if he truly is collecting the Holy Crystals, then he'd stop in Kiri first. It is the closest location of a crystal, even though it is three days away." Tsunade said.

"Then that's where we'll start!" Kiba exclaimed. However, Shikamaru shook his head.

"If a group as large as ours travels to a foreign nation, then the implication is that we're looking for a fight. I suggest we divide ourselves into smaller forces and scout out the other places where Holy Crystals are said to be. One of the groups will head to Kiri to see if Naruto really has stopped there, while the others try to find the other crystals." he explained.

"And that's why you're our strategist, Shikamaru-san." Konohamaru commented. Tsunade agreed with the young Nara, then divided up the group as she saw fit.

"Here's how it'll work: since there are eleven crystals still hidden away, I'll have to send some of you solo. Sasuke, Sakura, I want you two to head to Suna. We are allies with them, so they should be able to provide information regarding the Wind Crystal and sending my apprentice with the Uchiha Clan's heir should prove exactly how urgent this mission is." she began.

"Hai, Hokage-sama." Sakura replied. She turned to Hinata, who seemed ready to fight.

"Hinata, I want you to follow Naruto and head towards Kiri. There, the Water Crystal should be located within its temple, so hopefully you'll find it first. Your Byakugan should help you find him." she said. The heiress merely nodded in response as she prepared to leave.

"Ino and Shikamaru, you are to investigate the Earth Crystal within Iwa. I'm sending you both into enemy territory, so please be careful. Just because you are both experts in spying doesn't mean that you can't get caught. The Tsuchikage may use your infiltration into the village as an excuse to start a war." she warned.

"You got it, Tsunade-sama! We'll handle it!" Ino replied, dragging Shikamaru off to get ready.

"Hanabi and Konohamaru, I'm sending you to the remains of the village of craftsmanship, which is right outside Suna. The Steel Crystal is somewhere among the ruin. You are still young and inexperienced, but you show great potential. There are no doubts you can accomplish this." she said to the two youngest members of the group.

"Thank you, Hokage-sama. We shall not fail you." Hanabi replied respectfully, bowing slightly. Konohamaru, in a slight daze, copied her bow and left with her.

"Aira, since you have relatives in Kumo, I'm sending you there solo. I want you to try and find information on the Lightning Crystal." she said to the black-haired Chunin. She nodded in response.

"I'm sure my aunt knows a little about it. Don't worry, I got it covered." she replied before leaving.

"Aki, Natoyo, I want you to investigate Hoshi, where the Cosmic Crystal is said to reside. Be cautious, as cosmic energy is very unstable to those without the natural affinity for it." she said.

"Right. We'll leave right away." Aki said as he and his teammate left after the others.

"Kiba, Shino, Lee, I'm sending you three into the new village, Kurogakure. I have reason to believe the Dark Crystal is there. Since it is so unfamiliar with us, I'm giving you two front-linesmen and a sentry as to ensure your safe return." she explained.

"The power of youth shall prevail as always! Come, my comrades! Let us venture into the unknown!" Lee shouted excitedly. Kiba and Shino sweat-dropped as they followed him out the door.

"Similarly, I'm sending Neji, Tenten and Kiyoko into the opposite territory, Asahigakure, where I believe the Light Crystal is held. Like the other team, you have two fighters and a sentry, so you'd better come back okay." she said.

"Okay then, let's get going." Kiyoko said as the trio went to prepare for their journey. Tsunade turned to the last three boys.

"Taiyou, I want you to head towards Yuki, where the Ice Crystal is supposedly held. If you need to, ask the daimyo about it. Your position as heir of the Mokushi clan should be able to grant you an audience with him." she said.

"Alright, I'm on it." he replied, running out of the building to prepare. The last two eagerly awaited their orders.

"Chouji, Shikin, you are to head for Kusa and do research on the Wood Crystal. They are a neutral people, so we must try to be as socially polite as we can be. You two are the social butterflies of the group, so I know you can't screw that up." she explained.

"You can count on us, Tsunade-sama." Shikin said, laughing a little at her joke. As soon as they left, she adopted a shameful expression on her features.

"What are the consequences of what I've just done?" she wondered aloud. She supposed she wouldn't know until it happened, but by then it may already be too late.....

(The next day: Port Town)

Naruto looked out the window of the hotel room he was renting at the moment. The gentle sound of waves splashing against the shore was calming, helping him keep his emotions in check. He didn't bother concealing himself with a henge, since no one here knew him, so he stood at his full height. If one of his friends saw him now, they'd be in shock. He smirked a little at that thought.

Deciding to see where he should head for first, he pulled out the map given to him before he left. He deduced that the thief couldn't have gotten across the continental border in only two short days, so he ignored the left side of the map, focusing more on the right.

"The closest location as of now is Kiri, so I suppose I'll head there first. The Water Crystal is supposed to be in the ruins of the old Kiri, which had been converted into a mausoleum." he said aloud, reciting the information he had been told. With that in mind, he packed up his things in preparation to leave.

On his way out, he couldn't help but notice the stares he was getting from two young girls in the distance. One of them, a young girl no more than fourteen, approached him shyly.

"Um.....um.....excuse me." she said quietly, but loud enough for him to hear. He turned to her with an amiable expression on his face.

"Yes? Can I help you?" he asked. He didn't want people to get the same opinion that the Konoha villagers had, so there was no need for his mask either. The girl blushed a little as she began tapped the toe of her sandals on the ground. She glanced down a little, as if too embarrassed to face him properly.

"W-Well.......um......oh, I don't know why I'm doing this. I-I'm sorry, but my friend wanted me to ask you if you would like to hang out, since she thinks you're the next best thing after Hercules." she explained quickly. Naruto barely caught a word, but was able to understand.

"Oh, is that all? I'm sorry, but I must be off. I have some business in Kiri that is of the utmost importance." he replied. Naruto couldn't help but laugh mentally. It was weird hearing himself talk, almost like it was someone else. The girl seemed disheartened at first, but then looked up with resolve in her eyes.

"You're going to Kiri? Really? I-I'm from Kiri! My friend and I are Genin from there, but our teammate was kidnapped and we're trying to find him. However, we've had no luck." the girl explained. She suddenly realized she had his attention. Maybe she had said more than she should have......

"Your teammate is missing and you can't get home? Well, that's a problem. But, I think I may be able to help you after all." Naruto replied.

"You can? Oh, thank you so much! I thought we'd never catch a break, but now I'm glad Naito forced me to talk to you!" she said in a grateful tone.

"Now, why don't you tell me a little bit about yourself?" he asked. She nodded, thinking it would be rude to ask for help without introducing oneself.

"My name is Shuuha Umi. I am a Genin of Kiri, like I said before. To be honest, this is one of the few times I've really opened up to a stranger, but I feel I can trust you." she said. Naruto chuckled a little. She certainly was in better spirits all of a sudden.

"You sure seem anxious about this. My name is Namikaze Naruto. I'm from a small town, and I serve as a mercenary of sorts. However, I'll help for free. I can't stand it when people are hurt for no reason." he said. Umi nodded in response.

"It's nice to meet you, Naruto-san. Let me just tell Naito – that green haired girl over there – and we'll be right back." she said, going over to her friend. She had long light blue hair and deep violet eyes. She wore a baggy purple flask jacket over a black undershirt, as well as fishnet coverings above her breast. She had on black sweatpants that were cut at her ankle, leaving room for her black shinobi sandals. Her Kiri headband, he realized, was tied around her head in a manner similar to his friend Sakura tied hers.

When she came back, she had with her a green haired girl with tanned skin and dark blue eyes. She wore a green sleeve-less jacket with a pair of black gloves adorned on her hands. She had a white battle skirt over a pair of black shorts that barely covered her thighs. She also wore knee-high black boots to complete the look. Her Kiri headband was tied around her waist.

"Naito-chan, Naruto-san has agreed to help us look for Masato-kun!" Umi announced happily. Naito seemed surprised as she looked at the blonde.

"You have? Thank you. My name is Kusabana Naito, I am pleased to make your acquaintance." she replied, holding out her hand in a friendly manner.

"I am Namikaze Naruto. I hope to be of service to you." he replied, taking her hand in a gesture of friendship.

"....I wanted to apologize for having my friend come here on my behalf. It was pretty stupid of me to put her in that situation, especially since she's so timid around strangers." she admitted. Umi turned to her forgivingly.

"I told you that it was okay. If you hadn't, Naruto-san may not have helped us." she explained.

"If either of you had told me your predicament, I still would assist regardless." Naruto said, throwing in his two cents.

"Maybe we should get going now. If we waste time, we have less of a chance of finding him." Umi said, urging them to leave.

"Right. We should leave." Naito agreed. She was honestly still a bit embarrassed that her hormones had gotten the best of her and hoped to put that behind her.

"Then let's be off. Kiri is a good day away." Naruto said.

"Not for us. We know a special shortcut that cuts the travel time in half." Naito said. Umi looked at her in surprise.

"Naito-chan, you're really thinking of using that? The only people you've shown it to are myself and Masato!" she said in shock. Naito was a very secretive person, cold and aloof to strangers and kind only to those she liked. On more than one occasion she had been called the Lone Wolf of the Mist.

"Right now Masato's safety is more important." she replied. Umi agreed with her immediately, knowing it was true. What many people overlooked about her was that, to the few friends she did have, she was extremely loyal.

Naruto's mind was in conflict with his emotions. He knew he had to find the Water Crystal, but he couldn't just leave these two halfway. Their friend was in danger and they would not be able to rescue him alone. How could someone save the world without saving the people right in front of them? His mind was made up.

"Take me to this path. It may be imperative in retrieving your friend." he stated aloud. The two kunoichi looked to him in slight surprise. Naito nodded her head in confirmation.

"Right. It's just outside of town. However, bandits have been known to travel through it at times. Whenever we come across them, I cast a genjutsu to hide ourselves from detection." she explained.

"Well, since I'm around, that won't be necessary." Naruto stated.

"You mean you want to fight them? But that's crazy!" Umi protested.

"If we don't get rid of them, innocent people may be hurt in the process, correct?" he inquired. The two girls visibly shuddered at the mental image they received.

"....He's right. Our selfishness may have caused the deaths of innocent civilians every time we didn't fight them. We have to atone for our past mistakes." Naito stated, a bit more dramatically than needed. Naruto felt that it wasn't to that extreme, but if it motivated them into fighting, then it wouldn't hurt to let them believe it.

"Naito's right. Okay then, Naruto-san, we'll be counting on you." Umi said. He looked at them with an inquiring expression on his face.

"What are you two capable of?" he asked.

"I use mainly genjutsu and ninjutsu, so I'm more of a supporter than a full-blown front-linesman. But I can use a sword." Naito admitted.

"I'm a medic nin, so I don't really fight unless I have to. I use water-style ninjutsu and even a little light magic from the west...." Umi said, revealing a light magic tome from her jacket. Naruto took in consideration their separate abilities, knowing that neither of them would last long without support. He knew, though, that he could easily provide that support.

"Okay then, here's how it'll work. Umi, you stand back and support from behind us, healing us if we need it. Naito, you and I will take to the front lines, but keep your distance so you can cast genjutsu. I'll be the main tanker, so the two of you don't end up getting hurt." he explained.

"Alright. If that's settled then, let's get going." Naito remarked. As the two ran towards the village gate, Naruto was left to ponder his sudden resolve. Of course it would be the right thing to do, but he certainly didn't want to involve innocent people in his mission. The thought of having travel companions, however, overjoyed him. A journey as long as his would be quite boring and stressful without the company. He just hoped he could keep things discreet.

(Later: Kiri Forest)

The three stood at the entrance of the forest, mist surrounding them on all sides. The trees glistened in the small amounts of sunlight that pierced through. Small droplets of water decorated the leaves, and the humid climate made one feel like stepping into a spa or sauna. Having been here before, Umi and Naito were not as mesmerized by the natural harmony, but it was enchanting nonetheless.

Naruto looked around the forest trees, finding the serenity of the forest a beautiful thing. It was hard to believe that bandits were razing these woods for their our benefit. He hoped that they didn't run into any bandits, otherwise he might have to ruin the placid grass with crimson stains.

"Here we are. From here on out, we should use extreme caution. Not only bandits, but wild animals lurk within this forest. If we let our guard down, we could be attacked in surprise." Naito said.

"Yeah, I know. Let's get going." Naruto urged. The trio ventured into the misty trees, their vision impaired by the cloudy surroundings.

As they walked, Naruto reflected on his mission and the possibility of involving others in it. As much as it annoyed him, he knew that he would have to bring someone into it sooner or later. It was just one of those predictable life events that changed the entire direction the path is going, and yet somehow no one ever sees it coming. Hopefully, they would rescue the missing boy without him having to reveal too much information, if any. Keeping these thoughts to himself, he continued ahead of the two girls, who were chattering about something behind him.

Umi and Naito made sure that their voices were low enough so Naruto couldn't hear them. It would be awkward for them if he discovered what they were talking about. While they were grateful for his help, there was something about the boy that made them suspect something.

"Have you noticed that, when he talks, he seems on edge, like something is about to jump out to kill him?" Naito asked. Umi nodded silently.

"It's like there's something on his mind that he can't tell anyone. I've seen that type of edge before. It's when someone has a secret they can't tell." she replied. Naito knew she was referring to their friend Shisui, who had recently confided in them one of his most precious secrets.

"Yes, I've seen it as well, though it looks like Naruto's is five times worse than any I've ever seen." she noted.

"Maybe there are five things he can't tell anyone?" Umi suggested. Her friend shrugged in confusion.

"Who knows? All I know is that he's on our side in this mess. Maybe he'll get to know us well enough to confide his secrets, but it's his decision in the end." she said.

"You're right. He's a nice person, so I can't complain. I trust him." Umi said, the conversation ending. With that, the group walked in silence.

(1 Hour Later: Kiri Forest)

Rain had begun to fall, forcing them to take shelter under the branches of a grand tree. The mist had dissolved due to the water and wind the storm brought, but the resulting darkness did little to ameliorate their eyesight. They kept their weapons and supplies close by in case of attack, but so far there was no sign of danger.

Thunder boomed loudly as lightning zipped across the sky, illuminating the area for only a few seconds before it disappeared once more. Umi yelped in surprise as she covered her ears in fright. Naruto raised an eyebrow to her behavior as Naito comforted her.

"It's okay Umi, we're safe here. Compared to the other trees in this forest, this one is pretty small so lightning won't strike, and thunder is just a loud sound. There's nothing to worry about." she said soothingly.

"B-But still......w-what if the tree catches fire and the whole forest starts to burn? T-Then we'll be stuck here!" Umi said in fear.

"Then we'll just put it out with a water jutsu. It's no big deal." Naito responded. Another thunder boom caused her to continue her fearful frenzy as Naruto looked on in slight amusement. Naito turned to him apologetically.

"I'm sorry about this, but she has a very irrational fear of thunderstorms. When she was a little girl, she was caught up in a storm and nearly crushed by a tree struck by lightning. Ever since then, she's been traumatized by the experience and cowards like this whenever a storm comes around." she explained.

"It's alright. Everyone is afraid of something, so it's only human for her to act like this. Though, I have to admit, it's kinda funny to watch." he admitted, laughing lightly.

"I have to agree with you, but it's not funny to her. She always tries to punch me whenever I start laughing at her because of it. But she can easily overcome her fears if her friends are in trouble. Even if she doesn't look it, she's a very brave girl." she said.

"I don't doubt it, but it's kinda weird seeing someone quiet and composed suddenly flip out at a moment's notice." he said, a hint of amusement in his voice.

"You're a bit of a mystery yourself, you know. We know next to nothing about you. Are you afraid of getting too close to anyone?" she asked. He looked at her strangely. _'It looks like _someone's_ been watching too many movies lately....'_ he thought.

"No, it's not that. It's just......the past is hard to talk about, that's all. I hope to go back to my home someday, but it may not be for a while." he admitted.

"Care to talk about it? Sometimes talking is the best medicine." Naito said, sitting down within the tree's trunk. He sat next to her, taking the opportunity to talk.

"I suppose so. What do you want to know?" he asked.

"Like, where did you come from, whose your family, your friends, all that stuff." she replied. She hit a nerve as she saw a flash of pain in his eyes. She immediately apologized, but he shrugged it off.

"You apologize too much, you know that? Anyway, it's okay. It's been a long while since I've actually sat down and talked with someone about that, so I'm a bit overdue." he admitted.

"I'm all ears." she said. With a deep sigh, he began telling her his life's story, about how he grew up in a town where hardly anyone liked him, but he eventually proved himself to the people and made friends. He told her about his fights, his failures and his victories, and about the people that influenced his life. He told her about how he was evicted and banished from his home in order to protect it, and why he was on a journey now. She looked up at him in reverence.

"That's......amazing. Purely and simply amazing. How anyone could've overcome that is beyond me." she said in awe.

"Naruto-san, thank you for sharing your story." Umi's voice said from inside. The two turned to her in slight surprise.

"You heard?" he asked.

"Yes." she said, appearing from behind the bark. "It was too mesmerizing a story to turn a blind ear to. I'm sorry that you had to go through all that." she said.

"It's okay. There's no need to feel sorry anymore." he replied. He looked up into the sky, which had cleared somewhat during his storytelling. "Looks like the rain's gone for now. We should continue." he said.

"I'm not worried just yet." Umi admitted. She held a small necklace in her hands, which glowed with a soft blue light. "This is a Soul Jewel. When it comes into contact with chakra, it absorbs it and emits a glow like this. The only way for the glow to disappear is if the person whose chakra is in it dies. Masato-kun gave me this necklace for my birthday last year, with his chakra inside it. It's glow hasn't dimmed a bit." she explained.

"We're looking for him now so we know he's safe for sure and, in case something does happen, we can help him." Naito said, giving the reason they were searching for him when they knew he was okay.

"That's why this jewel is so precious." Umi said. She clutched the necklace closely to her chest, her eyes closed in hopeful thoughts. However, a rugged laugher broke her concentration and the tranquility of the forest.

"A precious jewel, is it? Then you'd best hand it over or we'll just have to take it from ya!" it said, a man by the sound of it. The trio looked to see five bandits emerge from the bushes around them. They instantly took battle stances, just as they planned beforehand.

"Dammit, we're surrounded." Naito noted, seeing how the bandits were in a circle around them. The other two noted their predicament as well.

"We may need to alter our previous plans." Naruto said.

"I think I've got an idea, but I'll need at least two of the bandits taken out first." Umi said. Naito smiled knowingly.

"You want to use _that_ move, huh?" she asked. She nodded.

"It'll be the best way to settle this quickly." she said. Naruto looked at them confusedly.

"What are you talking about?" he asked.

"You'll see. You and I have to defeat two of the bandits so she can do her thing. I hope you don't have any opposition to killing them?" she said. He shook his head, knowing it was a kill-or-be-killed fight.

"I hope y'all have lived good lives, cuz they're endin' here! Get 'em, boys!" the head bandit ordered. Two bandits came forward, one aiming a dagger at Naito while the other had an axe raised over Naruto's head. They both easily dodged their attacks, their assailants fumbling over their lack of dexterity. This left them wide open for an attack, and sudden the attackers became the targets.

Naito drew her sword and cast a small genjutsu that binded her target in darkness. As he stumbled about trying to get a feel of something, she ran towards him with her blade raised. With a quick slash across his chest, the bandit fell to the ground, blood pouring from the open wound. She nearly gaged at the corpse's visible insides.

Naruto took three kunai knives and threw them with expert precision at his target. Two landed in the bandit's legs, while the third paralyzed his axe arm. The large weapon fell to the ground, leaving him helpless as his attacker sent one more kunai into the back of his head. With a grunt of pain, the bandit fell to the ground, never to rise again.

Umi took the chance she was given and put her hands together in prayer. One of the other bandits saw this as a chance for an easy kill, charging at her with a clawed gauntlet. Suddenly, however, a mystic force kept him back. She had opened her eyes, staring at him with a mix of serenity and animosity.

"_Divine radiance, reveal thy power._ Photon!" she called. Several bolts of light swirled around the bandit, compressing into a sphere of energy that imploded on him. With a final cry of pain, he fell like his brethren had. Now, only the leader and his subordinate were left.

"It's time for our plan! Naruto, Umi, keep them distracted while I cast." Umi said to her comrades.

"Got it!" they replied simultaneously. The head bandit was furious that three of his men were killed in less than a minute. By a bunch of kids no less!

"There's no way I'm gonna lose to a bunch of snot-nosed little punks. Time to die, darlin'!" he said, drawing his longsword from his scabbard. He lunged at Naito, who parried with her katana and pushed back with it, knocking him away from her. The last bandit threw several shuriken at Naruto, who deflected them with his own. Flashing through a series of hand seals, he prepared his next attack.

"Wind Style: Tempest Bane!" he called. A fierce whirlwind of slicing air blades flew through the space between them, hitting the bandit with the full force of the attack. His body was mutilated beyond repair, falling to pieces on the ground. Fortunately, they were buried in the bushes around them, sparing them the sight of the dismembered corpse.

Just as the head bandit got up from Naito's recoil, Umi finished her spell. "_O violent torrent, arise and wash this land of sin and evil._ Tidal Wave!" she called. A large wave of water rose from the ground and crushed the head bandit under it. He was killed instantly under the pressure. The water receded back into the ground, Umi's magic energy no longer fueling it. Naruto turned to his comrades once more.

"That was awesome, Umi! How'd you do that?" he asked curiously.

"I use mystic artes to attack with. There are spells like the ones I used, and artes for hand-to-hand combat as well." Umi explained, "They're like jutsu, but they use mana instead of chakra and require an incantation instead of hand seals. My family is a mix of both eastern and western cultures, so I would naturally use both styles in my fighting." she said.

"Now that the bandits are gone, we can move on forward. Masato is still waiting for us to find him, and Naruto here needs to do whatever it is in Kiri, so let's not dilly-dally anymore than we have to." Naito said. The other two agreed and began to head for the forest's exit.

Naruto looked at the two Kiri kunoichi from behind and couldn't help but think of how similar they were to his old friends back in Konoha. If they ever met, they would be quick friends. There was no doubt about that. He wondered how his friends took the news of his disappearance from the Hokage. Perhaps they were searching for him now? Maybe....

(Concurrently: Main Road to Kiri)

Hinata ran down the path at the highest speeds she could muster, the wind whipping through her hair and cascading from her skin. It stung her eyes slightly, but she ignored the sensation in favor of concentrating on the task at hand. It had been a full day since she had left, and she was nearing her destination far quicker than anyone would've imagined. Then again, she had also ran straight one through for nearly a day and a half by now. If she was attacked now, she would be relying on sheer force of will to attack back.

None of that mattered to her at the moment, however. Out of all the assignments given, she felt hers was the most important in finding out the truth. She was going to find Naruto and confront him, and she was going to learn the truth, whether she'd like it or not. And then.......she preferred not to think of the worse case scenario. Instead, she kept running. Running towards her destiny and her future. _'Naruto-kun.......I'm coming for you!' _

**This was a working idea for nearly four months now, so I hope you enjoy it. The plot is going to be divided into ten "sagas" so to speak. This is the first chapter of the "Exiled" saga, and it sets the foundation for the rest of the story to take place. I'm going to be combining elements from various places in this story, so if you are confused by something, please don't hesitate to ask. **

**As for "Jinchuriki of the Leaf" and "The Leaf's Emblem," don't worry. Those stories will be updated soon. Really soon. It's spring break and I finally have time to work on it. It's been busy. Don't ask. I should also mention: Aira, Kiyoko and Shikin are not my original creations, but I fail to recall who submitted the characters. And I deleted the e-mails. So, if you remember giving me the characters (you know who you are), this is your credit. I apologize for my temporary brain lapse. **

**Anyway, here's a short preview of Chapter 2:**

They looked up at the temple in surprise. They certainly weren't expecting it to be that big. Then again, maybe they should have. These were the ruins of the old Kiri, so it was bound to be large.

"So, Masato is somewhere in there?" Naito asked Shisui, who stood beside her. He nodded in confirmation.

"Yes. I saw him get taken in there by these weird guys in cloaks. They went in only a few minutes ago, so there's still time." he replied. Naruto nodded in response.

"If they're after the Water Crystal, why would they need Masato to come with them?" he asked. Umi seemed distressed at the question, something they all noticed. She spoke up quietly.

"...They say that the crystal is protected by the Shrine Guardians, a group of specialized spirit soldiers meant to stop people from taking it. The only way to appease them is to prove that you are of pure heart and strong body." she explained.

"And that means?" Naruto asked cautiously.

"........They're planning to sacrifice Masato." she replied.


	2. The Water Crystal: Secrets Revealed

**When I'm Gone Chap. 2**

The sun rose over the horizon, bringing light upon the village infamously known as the Bloody Mist. Twilight's golden embrace brought a new day to the people of Kiri, one of peace and tranquility. Three young travelers past through the gates of their destination, their exhaustion and weariness obvious to any that saw them. Two of these three were Kiri shinobi; the other was a mercenary with a secret past. They were on a mission to save a friend from whatever evils had claimed him.

Umi yawned tiredly as the team walked into her home. She had invited them to stay with her until they were ready to go out again. Hopefully, her mother wouldn't mind, especially once she explained the situation to her. She turned to her friends and put a finger to her lips, silencing any conversation they may have been having.

"My mother should still be asleep, so please be quiet." she whispered.

"There's no need, Umi-chan. I'm already up." a soft, motherly voice said from behind her. The cyan-haired girl turned around to face her mother. The older woman could not have been more than thirty-five, with long hair the same color as her daughter and bright green eyes. She wore a small white sun dress that neatly covered her knees, hanging just above her calves.

"M-Mom! What are you doing awake? It's six-thirty in the morning!" her daughter exclaimed quietly in surprise.

"I was worried about you and your friends, what with that storm yesterday and the reports of bandits in the area. I didn't want you to get hurt." she replied. Umi smiled sweetly at her mother.

"It's okay, Mom. We took care of them. They won't be bothering anyone ever again. Naito-chan, Naruto-san and myself were able to defeat them pretty easily." she replied. Her mother seemed generally surprised.

"You killed the bandits? I always knew you were talented for your age, but for you three to kill a group of bandits without even a scratch is incredible!" she said.

"We have to thank Naruto for giving us a good strategy beforehand." Naito mentioned, making the blonde boy blush in embarrassment.

"I-It was nothing, madam." he replied. Umi's mother looked at him with a curious gaze.

"Hmm......you look a lot like their teammate Masato." she remarked. Umi and Naito looked at him analytically, comparing him to their missing teammate. Their eyes widened in shock.

"Wow, she's right! I can't believe I never noticed before!" Umi remarked, causing the blonde to blush once more.

"I suppose that's just coincidence on our part." Naito said, trying to placate his emotions.

"Speaking of which, where is Masato anyway? I'm certain he didn't return to the village before you did." Umi's mother asked. At this, the two girls fell silent.

".....Mom, there's something you need to know." her daughter said calmly.

"Shuuha-san, Masato was kidnapped by an unknown group of people in brown hoods and taken away from us during our mission." Naito reported quickly, not wanting to prolong the inevitable. Ms. Shuuha gasped loudly as her hands rushed to her mouth to cover her shock.

"That's horrible! We must tell the Mizukage right away!" she insisted.

"Wait, that's not necessary!" Naruto exclaimed in haste. The three women looked at him strangely. Regaining his composure, he coughed into his fist.

"Uh, I can find him myself. I have a special ability in which I can locate a person if I have something that belonged to them at some point." he explained. Part of his hanyou abilities included location of a missing person based on their chakra signature. It was a handy ability that would make an excellent search-and-rescue tool during wartime. The ladies were looking at him strangely, unsure of his claims.

"We might as well. I'm desperate enough to try anything." Naito said, reaching into her pack. She pulled out a blue Kiri headband, which Naruto assumed belonged to their missing teammate.

"We found this in the woods after he disappeared. It was then that we knew something bad had happened to him." she admitted. She handed it to him with a sad expression in her eyes. He nodded in respect and closed his eyes in concentration. A surge of energy entered his body and drew his mind's eye to an old ruin somehow outside of Kiri. He saw the fleeting glimpse of a young boy being taken into the ruins by three hooded men. His vision ended in a flash.

Naruto's eyes shot open in surprise. It had actually worked! That was the first time he'd ever used the ability, but it turned out to be more than he ever expected. He turned to the three ladies in fervid anticipation.

"I think I saw him. Does he have spiky, auburn hair and was he wearing a blue and black jacket on the day he disappeared?" he asked. Umi and Naito both looked at him in shock.

"Y-Yes! You must've seen him then! Is he okay? Where is he?" Umi asked in excitement. Finally, after almost two weeks, they were going to find him at long last!

"He was being taken to these old ruins outside the village. Does that mean anything important?" Naruto asked.

"The only ruins in Kiri are the ones of the old temple that was used back in ancient times as a monastery for traveling monks. They practiced their martial arts and holy spells within the stone walls." Naito explained.

"I wonder.....who would want to take Masato-kun to a place like that, and for what reason?" Mrs. Shuuha said aloud.

"I don't know, but what worries me is the fact that the Water Crystal is sealed within those ruins. If those hooded guys want the crystal, then they'd have to pass all the traps inside and even then they'd need a special seal release to get in." Umi said.

"Then we should head over to the temple as soon as possible." Naruto suggested. He tried to keep the edginess out of his voice. Already, he had found the location of one of the Holy Crystals! But, how would he be able to explain himself to the girls? He didn't want to betray their friendship and their trust when he had a noble reason for his actions.

"Masato may be in danger if they plan on using him somehow. We'd better hurry." Naito said. Mrs. Shuuha stopped them before they could leave.

"Wait, please at least rest for a moment or two. You would do Masato no good if you rushed out exhausted." she urged.

"But, Kaa-san, we can't just do nothing!" Umi replied. Naito snapped her fingers in realization.

"Shisui can help us! He's one of the best spies Kiri has ever had! If we ask, I'm sure he'd stake out the ruins for us." she announced. Naruto tilted his head in confusion.

"Shisui? Is he a friend of yours?" he asked. Umi nodded in response.

"He went to the Academy with us and is an old friend of ours. He's best friends with Masato, so I assume he'd help with little quarrel." she said.

"I see.....in that case, I think Naito should contact him and request his assistance. In the meanwhile, it would be best to stock up on supplies before setting out. Umi, could you take care of that? You seem to know the village well." Naruto said. She nodded cheerfully in response.

"No problem! But, what are you going to do, Naruto-san?" she asked.

"I'm going to get a grip on the surrounding areas and make sure that, if we do end up fighting, we can use them to our advantage." he responded.

"Once that is all done, we'll meet up here and rest a little bit before setting out." Naito commented. The blonde nodded in confirmation.

"That's the plan! Now, we should go now so we have time later on. We'll meet here in exactly three hours, after everything is said and done. Let's split up from here." he said. The girls nodded and turned to Mrs. Shuuha.

"I'm sorry we have to leave again so abruptly, but....." Umi started, trailing off slightly.

"I understand. You're a kunoichi, and this is part of what you must do. Go ahead, but promise you'll come back in one piece." her mother said, gently nudging her daughter to go. The young girl smiled contently and nodded in anticipation.

"Hai! Don't worry, Kaa-san, I'll make sure it'll be okay!" she announced as she ran out the door. Naito and Naruto followed soon after, splitting up in a matter of seconds. Mrs. Shuuha clasped her hands together in prayer, her eyes closed in hopeful concentration. _'Please......protect them.' _

(Later: Marketplace)

Umi strode down the busy streets, searching for a specific store from which to purchase their supplies. She wondered to herself what she should get and how much of each would be needed.

"Hm.....I could use a new Heal staff just in case we get injured.....Oh, and a few soldier pills to restore our chakra too! And, um.....maybe some new equipment as well? Naito has been eying that new sword for a while now......" As she contemplated her options, she suddenly bumped into an unsuspecting passerby. She soon found herself sitting the ground, her eyes winced in discomfort.

"Oh my gosh, I'm so sorry! I wasn't looking!" a female voice said. Umi looked up and saw a young girl reaching out her hand to help her up. She had long, light blue hair done in a ponytail that reached her mid-back, with soft, serene green eyes. She wore a light blue short-sleeved shirt with buttons going up the middle of it along with a nylon light blue battle skirt that covered her thighs. Bandages were wrapped around her exposed abdomen and forearms, as well as her slightly exposed thighs and knees. She wore ankle-length white boots that were stained from many long travels.

"I should pay more attention where I'm walking. My name is Ikana. What's yours?" she asked.

"U-Umi." she replied shyly. Ikana took a moment to commit the name to memory before smiling warmly.

"Nice to meet you! I just got back from a mission, so I'm still a little out of it right now. I'm sorry that I bumped into you." she explained.

"No, no, it's okay. Um...I'm sorry, but I need to do something important. I have a mission I need to stock up for, and....." she trailed off, not wanting to explain herself to a stranger. Ikana seemed sympathetic to her.

"Oh, I see. It must be personal for you to suddenly fall silent like that. Tell you what: I have some supplies and old equipment left over from when I was a Genin on me. Since you look like you could use it, how about I give it to you? For free, with no strings attached?" she suggested. Umi looked at her questioningly.

"You'd really do that for someone you barely know?" she asked.

"Well, I was taught to help people from birth, so I can't really help it. Besides, you seem like you're in a bind, so I wanted to help out." Ikana replied.

"I suppose that's okay....." Umi concluded. The other girl, smiling, reached into her bag and pulled out a thin steel sword, a pouch of soldier pills and a small ring with a red jewel embedded in it. Umi looked at the equipment, then at Ikana, in surprise.

"I don't know if I can accept this...." she said. Ikana was persistent, however.

"Please, take them. Consider it a gift from a superior officer." she said, trying to convince her to take them. With a sigh, she relented.

"Okay, I'll take them. Thank you very much, Ikana-san." she replied. She took the items from her arms and stored them within her own pack. Ikana then turned to leave.

"Well, I'll be seeing you around. Good luck with whatever it is you're doing.....Oh, and you'll find a nice lady selling Heal staffs three blocks down. Just tell her that Kirimitsu Ikana sent you, okay? Bye!" she said cheerfully before disappearing into the crowd around them. Umi stared blankly at the spot Ikana had stood in moments before.

"What a kind girl.....she was kinda strange though....." she said aloud as she looked down the street. _'A nice lady selling Heal staffs? I might as well check it out.'_ she thought.

Within a few minutes, Umi had found the lady Ikana had told her about. She was a fairly young woman, in her early twenties at the most. And, surely enough, she had a small cart filled with weaponry fit for any magic user. As she approached, the woman smiled warmly at her.

"Welcome! How may I help you?" she asked cheerfully. Umi remembered Ikana's fleeting words.

"Ah, yes, um, would you by chance be carrying any Heal staffs? A young woman named Kirimitsu Ikana sent me here and-" she was cut off by the woman's next comment.

"Oh, you're an acquaintance of Ikana-chan? Let me see.....ah, here's one! A perfectly good Heal staff, never-before-used! Here, take it." she said, pulling a staff from behind the counter. Umi gripped the pole of the staff and looked at the head in amazement. She had never seen such a sturdy staff in her life. The craftsmanship was first-rate, and she could feel the magical energy imbued within it.

"Oh my.....this is a wondrous staff! How much will it cost?" Umi asked, knowing the price of such a weapon would be high. The woman gave her a shooing gesture with her hand.

"It's on the house. If Ikana-chan sent you here, she must think you have quite the potential. You see, she helped my family and I out when we first moved to this village. Being the niece of the Mizukage, she has that kind of influence here. That was nearly five years ago and we haven't forgotten her since! That's why, whenever someone is told by her to come here, we give them their equipment for free." she explained. Umi was taken aback at this revelation.

"You mean.....that girl was the niece of the Mizukage?" she asked herself aloud.

"Ah, bless that girl's pure heart. I don't think there's a person in this village that she hasn't helped in some way." the woman said. As she rang up the staff she had given her, Umi couldn't help but ponder. _'Kirimitsu Ikana......just who are you?' _

(Current Day: Downtown Kiri)

Naito looked around the all-too-familiar streets of downtown Kiri. She had been here many times before, especially during her Academy days. She easily remembered the path to her destination, which was quite fortunate. She was "power-walking" down the streets, hoping to find her friend soon. There was not a moment to waste.

Soon, she came upon a small dwelling nestled neatly between two buildings beside it. Finally, she had found the place she was looking for. She approached the door and knocked on it lightly with the back of her hand. A moment passed before a young boy answered the door. He had short, shaggy teal hair, which was now even more unruly considering he had just woken up. His hand was rubbing his golden eyes, trying to stir himself awake. He wore a blue leather jacket with black fur lined around the hood, with dark silver sweatpants and a pair of black zori boots.

"Ugh.....Naito? What are you doing here so early in the morning? I thought you and the others weren't coming back til tomorrow." he commented, slightly surprised at seeing his friend at the door.

"Sorry to wake you so early, Shisui, but we've got a major problem." Naito said. Shisui invited her inside with a small gesture.

"Come in so we can talk more privately." he said, his earlier exhaustion forgotten. She stepped into the small house and sat in the couch in the living room. Shisui sat next to her, his attention focused solely on her.

"....It's a long story. I hope you have some time on your hands." she admitted sheepishly. Shisui laughed it off.

"Just go ahead. I have no place to be right now." he urged. With a regretful sigh, she began.

"Shisui, during our mission, Masato was.......kidnapped." she started. Shisui's shocked expression made her continued. "We don't even know how it happened. All we know is that apparently three people appeared, defeated him and hauled him off somewhere. Umi and I had spent nearly two weeks trying to find him ourselves, and we'd nearly lost hope. Then, two days ago, we met a traveling mercenary named Naruto who agreed to help us. The three of us arrived here this morning to try and find clues about Masato's whereabouts." she explained. Shisui held his hand to his forehead in disbelief.

"You've gotta be kidding.....there's no way that he'd go down that easily." he commented.

"Well, whatever happened, we have a small lead on where he is. Which is why I came to you today." she said. His attention was once more hers.

"Go on." he urged seriously.

"Naruto, it turns out, has the unique ability to locate people using the psychic aura left behind when a person comes into contact with an object. Using Masato's headband, he was able to see a vision of three robed people taking him into the temple at the ruins." she explained.

"Really? That's great news! We have a chance at finding him!" Shisui exclaimed in excitement.

"Yes, but we don't know whether that event happened in the future or the past. Therefore, it would be most helpful if you were to stake out the temple for us. If you see them going inside, send a message to us immediately and we'll be right over." she said. Shisui nodded vigorously.

"Consider it done! I'll head out right now!" he said. Just before he ran out the door, she stopped him.

"Wait! Do you even have your equipment?" she asked. He paused for a moment before blushing and sheepishly rubbing the back of his head.

"Hehehe....oops." he said nonchalantly. Naito sighed in discontent.

"Go get ready first, then head out. We don't have time to waste." she ordered. He quickly disappeared into his room for a moment before reemerging with his newfound gear.

"Okay, now I'm ready!" he said. Naito nodded in confirmation.

"Good. Let's get going. I've still got something else I need to do, so go on ahead to the temple. And remember to signal us in case those guys come!" she said as she left his house. Once she was gone, he took a moment to think about what she had said about this Naruto person. _'The ability to use aura? Could it be that he's a hanyou?' _He thought. Shrugging that thought aside for later, he set out for the temple on the other side of the village. He only hoped he wasn't too late already.....

(Current Day: Kiri Outskirts)

Naruto sat upon a rock overlooking a vast hill, facing the east where the rising sun's first radiant rays shone in the ephemeral embrace of a summer's dawn. Sure, he had lied earlier to the girls, but he had needed to clear his head. The morality behind what he had done and what he will need to do was still plaguing him.

He understood the desire to prevent war, but he did not understand the way in which it was handled. Couldn't Tsunade have just sent a message to the other village leaders? Or, better yet, couldn't the Holy Crystals have been sealed away in the first place? And why did he have to betray his friends and village? For what? The sake of a new tomorrow? He knew all too well that there was never a guarantee for tomorrow. Sometimes – for him at least – tomorrow doesn't come.

With a sigh, he reclined back onto the rock he was perched upon, trying to find solace in the bright orange sky and pure white clouds floating overhead. He wondered what his friends were doing at the moment. They were probably searching high and low for him, knowing them. Of course, if they knew the whole truth, then they probably wouldn't be. Naruto shook that thought from his head as soon as it appeared.

"I think too much." he remarked aloud. He tried once more to relax, but unfortunately could not find the peace of mind to do so. Damn this mental frustration! He was about ready to pull his hair out from its roots. Realizing that he had spent enough time out in the field, he turned to head back to the village. However, a familiar voice stopped him.

"Na......Naruto-kun......"

(Concurrently: Kiri Outskirts)

Hinata felt as if her chest was in flames by the time she had reached the outskirts of Kiri, the Mist Village. Dawn had broken over the horizon just recently, but she had paid it no heed. She had slept very little that night, her thoughts fixated on a certain blonde haired rogue.

She had had little contact with the other teams so far, but from the sounds of things they had no luck in finding their wayward friend as well. She had almost given up on ever being able to find him like this. After the mission had started, she had thought much about the circumstances leading to Naruto's defection, as well as his apparent goals. It was understandable...until a certain point.

She could see why he would defect from the village, maybe even why he would want to find one of the Holy Crystals. But all of them? What would he use all of them for? And what kind of superior motive could he possibly have that would drive him to do so? It just didn't add up. It sounded very unlike Naruto.

It was this reason that drove her to finding him so ferociously. She needed to know. She would not be able to stop until she knew why. Her Byakugan eyes were beginning to hurt her, she had been using it so much!

That's when she saw him.

Finally, after nearly three days of searching, she had found him. A wave of relief washed over her as she approached. He was apparently wrapped in thoughts of his own, but he began to rise from his position on the rock he sat upon. She knew that she had to call out now, otherwise she might never get the chance again. Just as he was about to leave, she mustered her courage.

"Na.......Naruto-kun......"

It was barely above a hoarse whispered, but he heard it all the same. With wide eyes, he slowly turned to her. She could see the surprise in his features.

"Hinata.......what are you doing here?" he asked quietly, the reality setting it. He had been caught.

"Naruto-kun.....everyone's looking for you.....Everyone was spread across the continent to look for you....." she began. He listened to her every word. "We all want you to come home, Naruto-kun. We.....we're looking so hard for you. We want to know why.....why you left us, Naruto-kun. And why you're looking for the Holy Crystals." She saw the shock in his eyes when she mentioned this. "We want to help you. So please, don't push us away....I don't want to see you hurt anymore!" she cried, tears streaming down her face. Her outburst easily startled him. He didn't realize she felt so strongly for him.

"I-it isn't fair....that you have to put up with it all on your own.....All the hate and bigotry.....the glares and put-downs.....for something that wasn't even your fault!" He stared at her breathlessly. Did Tsunade tell them the truth after all? "We all know about the Kyuubi, Naruto. We know everything now; your parentage, your abilities, everything. But none of us cared. That only made us want to find you more.....Because we wanted to show you that we cared about you. Please, let us help you. Let _me_ help you!" she pleaded through her hysterics. This display of emotion was very unlike Hinata, which concerned Naruto greatly. But he couldn't have her tag along like this. She might end up getting hurt in a fight, and he didn't want that.

"Listen, Hinata. I don't think you'll ever understand the depth of what you've done here. Thank you for showing me that, even though I am cursed with this demonic blood, that I still have people who care about me. But I can't go back to the village. Not yet. There is still a lot I need to do." he explained.

"Then let me come with you. I'm willing to help you however I can." Hinata pleaded.

"This is something I must do alone. I will have to soon abandon the people I've teamed up with now for their own safety as well. Please, try to understand Hinata." he replied.

"That's just it....I can't. I tried, but I couldn't understand why you, of all people, would suddenly disappear without a word or a reason to justify it. There is more to this that you won't say, I can see that clearly now. If there wasn't, you wouldn't be trying to make me leave right now." she replied.

"Hinata, I don't want you or anyone else getting hurt because of this. It doesn't involve you, so please, tell everyone to go back to the village." he pleaded with her.

"Not until I hear the truth." she replied. He knew that look in her eyes. He had seen in many times before. It meant she was not going to budge on the subject.

"Hey, Naruto-san!" a familiar voice called out from behind him. The two looked down the path to see Umi and Naito running towards them. Hinata was confused as they stopped beside him.

"Hey, you said that we would meet back at – woah, who's this?" Naito asked, noticing Hinata standing before them.

"This is an old friend of mine from Konoha. Her name is Hyuga Hinata, and she just stopped by to say hi." Naruto said, making up an excuse.

"Oh, well, it's nice to meet you. I'm sorry, but we're in a bit of a rush. Naruto-san, we have to hurry. Shisui is already waiting at the temple for us and those goons who kidnapped Masato can't be too far away. Let's go!" Naito said urgently.

"Wait a moment. Masato? Shisui? The temple? What is going on here? Perhaps I can help." Hinata said quickly. Naruto shot her a look of disbelief, but it went mostly ignored. Umi took the time to explain to her the situation.

"You see, me and Naito-chan are in a team with another boy named Masato. About two weeks ago, he was kidnapped by these weird guys in robes that we think are going to try and take the Holy Crystal entombed in a temple within the ruins here. We ran into Naruto-san about two days ago and he agreed to help us, being a mercenary and all. Our other friend, Shisui, is a great spy for our village and is staking out the ruins for us until we get there. We're going to find out who took him, fight them and get him back." she explained.

"I see.....Well then, I'll happily assist you." Hinata decided.

"Really? You will? Oh, thank you, Hinata-san! Now we have five people to help us rescue Masato-kun!" Umi exclaimed happily. As the Kiri kunoichi were happily chatting at the new turn of events, Naruto turned to Hinata quietly.

"Hinata, what are you doing?" he asked.

"I'm going to find out the truth, one way or another. That, and I can't ignore someone who needs help." she admitted. He smiled slightly.

"You may have become less shy, but you're still kind-hearted. Good. That's something that should never change." he said. She blushed slightly at his compliment.

"C'mon, then. Shisui is waiting for us." Naito said to the two Konoha ninja. They nodded in response, following her to the temple's location. Naruto mentally sighed to himself. It looked like Hinata was joining his mission, whether he wanted her to or not, and her presence was going to make his duties that much harder.

"...Damn it." he muttered under his breath.

(Later: Water Temple Entrance)

They looked up at the temple in surprise. They certainly weren't expecting it to be that big. Then again, maybe they should have. These were the ruins of the old Kiri, so it was bound to be large.

"So, Masato is somewhere in there?" Naito asked Shisui, who stood beside her. He nodded in confirmation.

"Yes. I saw him get taken in there by these weird guys in cloaks. They went in only a few minutes ago, so there's still time." he replied. Naruto nodded in response.

"If they're after the Water Crystal, why would they need Masato to come with them?" he asked. Umi seemed distressed at the question, something they all noticed. She spoke up quietly.

"...They say that the crystal is protected by the Shrine Guardians, a group of specialized spirit soldiers meant to stop people from taking it. The only way to appease them is to prove that you are of pure heart and strong body." she explained.

"And that means?" Naruto asked cautiously.

"........They're planning to sacrifice Masato." she replied. Hinata's eyes widened at the suggestion.

"T-That's horrible! We must stop them at any cost!" she announced. The others nodded in response.

"You're right. Time is of the essence. We've got to hurry before Masato is killed by whoever these people are!" Naito replied. With that, the five quickly entered the temple without any second thoughts.

Once inside, they could easily see where the vagabonds had taken their target. The walls and floors of the temple were constructed of a cold, blue stone that reflected the color of the water that ran through them. Fountains jutted out from the side of each wall, water pouring from an unknown source into a large lake that lied underneath the floor they stood upon. They were captivated by the majesty of the inner temple.

"They say that once the water from the lake reaches its maximum depth, an oracle from the divine will be received here by a pure-hearted soul regarding the fate of humanity." Shisui stated.

"Unfortunately, we don't have the time to take in the sites. Let's get going before it's too late." Naruto urged. The others agreed, and the group quickly passed into the next room. This room was coated in the same stone blocks as the last. In the center of the room was a large alter, similar to what one would find in a church or house of worship. Four large candles gave off an iridescent glow that radiated the room. The entire design appeared to be of a shrine of some sort.

Upon the center alter was the unconscious body of a young boy. He had spiky, auburn hair and wore a tattered blue jacket over a black sweatshirt, with pants matching the color of the jacket. Three people – all men from the looks of it – were on different sides of the alter, reciting some words of prayer.

"Masato-kun!" Umi cried out in shock. Her shout disturbed the three men, who looked towards the entrance. The five younger shinobi prepared themselves, shifting into defensive positions. Hinata activated her Byakugan in order to detect any traps. One of the robed men started to chuckle.

"Well, well, well. What do we have here? The angelic 'savior of the world' and his little posse?" he asked mockingly. Naruto tensed slightly as the others gave him a confused look.

"Who are you, and what do you want with that boy?" Naruto asked, trying to change the subject.

"I am Zakon, of the Shadow Knights. We need this boy to complete our ritual and retrieve the Water Crystal from inside this temple. And you will not stop us." he replied. The robed men tossed off their garments, revealing their true identities. Zakon wore a red shirt under blue armor with spiked shoulder guards and gauntlets. His hair was a dark navy blue in color, which accented his dark goldenrod eyes. It was obvious that he was a knight of some kind. He drew a lance from his belt, extending the pole and blade to fight with.

The second of the robed men wore a white cape over a yellow tunic, which fit snuggly into a pair of brown cargo shorts. He wore brown knee-high boots and carried a lightning tome in his right hand. His hair was dark-brown in color, and he wore it in a pony-tail that hung from the top of his head and stopped at the nape of his neck. His blue eyes were emotionless as he stood before them.

The last of them wore armor very similar to Zakon. However, it was a dark, crimson red in color, and it was much thicker than his. The shoulder pads were also smooth rather than spiked, and the man inside it looked nothing like him. He had short, ruffled silver hair and piercing violet eyes. He had withdrawn his axe from its holder, prepared to fight.

Naruto and his friends knew they were up against three strong opponents. But, they had to win, no matter what.

"Zakon, I won't allow your ambitions to ruin the lives of the innocent! Your judgment is at hand. Prepare yourself." Naruto warned, drawing his own sword. This surprised Hinata, who had not known of his sword skills before. Zakon seemed amused by this.

"Bristin, you take the Hyuga and that green-haired girl. Renel, you kill that other girl and the thief. I'll take care of the 'savior.'" he ordered. The sage, Bristin, and the armored man, Renel, both nodded in agreement.

"Sure, they might be some fun." Bristin commented.

"I hope they put up a good fight." Renel agreed.

And with that, the battle begun.

The group quickly separated itself in order to avoid being completely decimated all at once. Naruto, however, charged straight towards Zakon with his sword raised. With a mighty yell, he leaped into the air and brought his blade down on the pole of his opponent's lance. Using the force of the hit, he bounced off of the weapon and stabbed towards his midsection. Zakon, however, dodged with ease and moved to bring his lance down on Naruto's head. The blonde nimbly stepped sideways, avoiding the blow and delivering a kick to his opponent's side in the process.

Bristin, meanwhile, had a little trouble hitting his much faster targets. The two kunoichi were incredibly agile and quick, making them much harder to hit. He cast yet another spell, only to miss Naito by about five centimeters. His frustration with the battle grew even more.

"Stand still!" he commanded. With a mighty howl, a thunderbolt dropped from the sky and, with some degree of luck, managed to hit Naito straight on. She screamed in pain as she flew across the room, landing and sliding to the far side. Hinata gasped in shock before turning her fury to the sage that injured her comrade.

"You'll pay for that!" she shouted. She charged at the spell-caster, her Byakugan flaring. Before he could even begin chanting his spell, she had gotten within range for her attack.

"Gentle Fist Barrage!" she called. She rapidly struck his tenketsu points at a speed of five per second. After closing off about thirty of them, she knocked him back onto the ground with a large chakra pulse to his chest. Bristin flew to the ground in a heap. Hinata turned on her heel to go help her comrade, thinking that her opponent had been incapacitated for the time being. She knelt down next to Naito, who held her abdomen in pain.

"Are you okay?" she asked, concerned for the Kiri kunoichi.

"Ugh....I'm alright....that just hurt a little." Naito admitted. Hinata helped her to stand, but a bolt of lightning struck at their feet and knocked them down on their behinds. They looked up to see Bristin wielding his tome and seemingly unaffected by Hinata's earlier attack.

"Your eyes may be able to stop chakra, but they are powerless against mana. Now, prepare yourselves to die, wretches!" he announced.

Shisui narrowly dodged his opponent's axe, flipping to the side of the blade. He knew that his weapons would not be able to penetrate the armor he wore. This was a bad match-up for him in terms of strength, but in terms of strategy, he had the upper hand. As long as he kept Renel distracted, Umi could focus on casting for her spells. Her magic attacks were the best weapon they had to use against him.

_'If things get really bad, then I may have to use _those_ powers.'_ he thought to himself. But hopefully it wouldn't be necessary for this fight. Umi finished her preparations, ready to fight.

"Sacred Drops!" she called. Large drops of water formed above Renel and descended unto him, The resulting waters pushed the general back a few feet. Shisui cheered in excitement that the attack was a success.

"Good job, Umi-chan!" he said to his friend.

"It's not over yet, though." she commented back.

"Oh, how right you are." Renel replied, standing up from his position. He took his axe and threw it towards the two like a boomerang. They jumped to the side to evade the weapon, watching as it turned around and came back to its owner.

"I think we may be in a little trouble here...." Shisui said quietly to himself.

Zakon flew into the wall behind him, blasted back by Naruto's light spell. He had forgotten that his opponent was capable of using magic as well as his demonic powers. The blonde shinobi stepped forward a little, readying himself to finish the battle.

"This is your last chance, Zakon. Leave this place and the boy, and I will spare you." he offered. Zakon merely scoffed at him.

"How little you know, boy. Do you truly think that you have the power to stop us? Ha! I'll admit, you have an amazing potential, but if you cannot unlock that potential, then you're doomed to fail against us! If you think that you alone can defeat us, then I'm afraid you're sadly mistaken!" he announced triumphantly.

"Too bad he isn't alone." a voice replied. Suddenly, a gale of wind swept through the air, taking Zakon with it. The dragon knight landed on the far side of the room. Naruto looked in the direction the gale came from to see that the boy on the alter had awoken during the fighting. He had spiky, auburn hair and piercing dark blue eyes. He wore a black t-shirt under a blue jacket, which was left unzipped, with a pair of matching blue cargo pants. He had a kunai drawn, ready to fight.

"You're Masato, right?" Naruto asked.

"Yeah. Thanks for helping my teammates out while I was captured. Now, however, I'm ready to go. It's time these guys paid for their crime." Masato said. The blonde easily agreed. Zakon grit his teeth in frustration.

"Dammit. The boy's awake. Hm, no matter. We've defeated you once before, and we can do it again." he said.

"Last time, you caught me off guard and outnumbered me. Now, we have you two-to-one and this time I'm prepared." Masato replied. He drew his saber and charged forward, with Naruto right behind him. The dragon knight took his lance and, spinning it above his head a few times to add velocity, threw it towards the two boys. They both dodged easily, the spear harmlessly gliding past them. Naruto took the chance to break the weapon in two by blasting it with a beam of light. Smirking, he went to rejoin the fight.

Hinata jumped back, avoiding the thunderbolt that descended from above her. Naito, on the other hand, charged forward with her sword and tried to impale Bristin on it. The sage dodged her blade, however, and managed to get behind her. He put up two fingers in the common ninja hand-sign and turned to a page in his tome.

"Lightning Prisoner!" he called. Bolts of electricity emerged from the pages of the tome and wrapped themselves around Naito's torso. She screamed in pain and panic as the bolts solidified into solid cuffs around her wrists, capturing her. The cuffs were connected to the book by a chain of lightning energy. Hinata tried to save her, but a single blast from Bristin's tome was enough to knock her unconscious.

Umi side-stepped Renel's axe once more, ducking to avoid being cleaved in two by the return trip. Shisui took advantage of his opponent's defenselessness and struck several kicks to Renel's head and torso before finally breaking the man's patients.

"That's enough from you, gnat! Metal Style: Binding Chains!" Renel called. Metal chains emerged from his armor and wrapped themselves around Shisui's body. He grunted in pain as they pinned him to the wall, unable to move. Umi began casting for a spell, but a powerful punch from Renel was enough to stop her. She felt blood coming from the side of her face as a strong arm wrapped itself around her neck.

Zakon was thrown into the wall once again as Masato and Naruto turned to each other. Their battle was apparently over for the moment.

"Now, what do we do?" Masato asked.

"I suggest you surrender, unless you want your friends to die." Renel said, coming towards them with Umi in his grasp. A kunai was held to the side of her neck. Behind him, Shisui was wrapped in chains that threatened to constrict him. Bristin walked next to his partner, bruised and battered, but with his own two captives. He held a sparking dagger to Hinata's throat, and held Naito with the voltage cuffs and chains around her body. Just as Naruto cursed his luck, Zakon grabbed the head of his severed lance and pressed the blade to Masato's neck from behind, binding the boy's hands while he did so.

"Hahahahaha! Now what will you do, savior? Will you let your friends die? Or will you be a good little boy and surrender?" he questioned, some blood sliding down the side of his face. Naruto grit his teeth in frustration. This was the worse possible thing that could've happened! As the five captive Genin struggled against their captors, Naruto was left with two alternatives. _'....It looks like I've no other choice.'_ he thought. With resolve in his eyes, he gazed at Hinata. She looked back at him, struggling to break free.

"Hinata-chan.....you wanted to know the truth, right? About why I left the village?" he asked. She looked at him, confused. Why was he bringing this up now? The Kiri Genin, aside from Masato, also were confused. What was he talking about?

"I left Konoha because....I have a mission. You said you knew about the Kyuubi, and my parents being the Fourth Hokage and the princess of the Whirlpool Country. Well Hinata-chan.......I'm about to show you why I was chosen to retrieve the Holy Crystals." he explained. The Kiri Genin were shocked. Naruto had lied to them the entire time? Umi and Naito looked heart-broken as the words were uttered. They had trusted him!

However, all doubts were erased once he revealed his wings.

Two pairs of angelic golden wings grew from his back, radiating in a divine light. He expanded his arms to their full length, his eyes closed in concentration. His wings fully unfurled behind him, growing to be at least five-feet in length.

In the blink of an eye, he appeared behind Zakon and knocked him away from Masato with a massive punch to the head. The dragon knight flew in the opposite direction as all watched in awe. Before anyone could move, Naruto appeared in front of Renel and blasted him with a bolt of light. He released Umi from his grasp as he flew into the wall behind him. However, the chains holding Shisui gave way, letting him plummet to the waters below. He screamed as he fell, knowing that he was going to die upon impact. Naruto, however, swooped down and grabbed him before he hit the water. He made sure Shisui was on solid ground before he disappeared in a puff of smoke. The teal-haired boy realized that it was a shadow clone placed there beforehand to catch him. The real Naruto created a shuriken from photons in the air and threw it at the chains binding Naito and Bristin. They severed with a crack, releasing the myrmidon from the trap. Just as the sage went to kill Hinata, however, the shuriken looped around in the air and slammed into him from behind, forcing him to drop her from his grasp. Naruto then flipped back, preparing himself for his attack.

"_I call upon the divine hand; rend these unclean souls and purge the land of evil!_ Divine Judgment!" he called. Pillars of prismatic white light rained down from above, pelting the three Shadow Knights with their power. The Genin could not break their gaze from the majesty of the attack. _'He's so powerful...I've never seen anything like this!'_ Masato thought.

The three knights gathered, beaten, bruised and bloody. Zakon cursed their rotten luck as Renel turned to him.

"Zakon, I think it's best we retreat. We've lost this fight." he admitted. The dragon knight cursed again. He was right, dammit, and he hated it when he was right.

"....Fine. You win this time, savior, but when we next meet, you won't be so lucky." Zakon warned him. Suddenly, in a puff of black smoke, the trio disappeared from the temple. Naruto's wings faded away as he landed on his feet, but fell immediately to his knees.

"Dammit....that took a lot out of me....." he admitted between heavy breaths.

"Naruto!" he heard a chorus of voices shout. He saw the others run over to aid him, with Hinata in lead of the pack. She and Umi knelt down next to him to heal his wounds and fatigue.

"Naruto-san, that was amazing! I can't believe you did that!" Shisui enthused. Naito chuckled a little as she folded her arms across her chest.

"Jeez, you think you know a guy. Naruto, that was excellent work. Good job." she congratulated him, smiling a little.

"Hold still, Naruto-san. I'll make sure you're feeling better in no time!" Umi said determinedly. Hinata nodded in response.

"Naruto-kun, thank you for saving us all...again. You're always there when I need you...." she said, adding the last part under her breath.

"Man, I've seen some strong ninja in my day, but you really take the cake!" Masato exclaimed.

"Masato-kun, you're okay, thank goodness! I thought you were a goner for a moment or two." Naito said happily, embracing her teammate in a friendly hug. He smiled whole-heartedly as Shisui punched him lightly in the shoulder.

"Dude, don't you ever worry us like that again." he joked, laughing a little. Umi stood up from her position and walked next to her teammate.

"You're next, Masato-kun. I'll leave Naruto-san to Hinata-san, but I think you could use some medical attention as well." she said. Masato nodded in response.

"I agree. I tell ya, I feel like I've been hit by a truck or something." he admitted. Everyone laughed at his joke. Hinata helped Naruto to stand, letting him lean on her for support.

"Ah, that feels better...thanks Hinata-chan." he said, making her blush lightly in return.

"No problem, Naruto-kun." she replied quietly. Suddenly, everyone's attention seemed to be on Naruto. He sighed, knowing exactly why.

"....I'm sorry I had to deceive you at first. But I couldn't risk a war breaking out because of my screw-ups." he apologized.

"So you didn't grow up in a little town? You were a ninja of Konoha?" Naito asked. Naruto nodded in response.

"Most of what I told you was true. I was hated by a lot of people over something my parents did. My father, the late Fourth Hokage, sealed the demonic Kyuubi within me in order to save the village from destruction. The villagers came to see me as an embodiment of the beast, so they took their hatred, anger and fear out on me. However, I made friends with people like Hinata-chan, and I was slowly changing the view of the villagers. Then, the Hokage asked me to take on the mission of collecting and protecting the Holy Crystals from their alters. Two organizations – the Akatsuki and one we just fought – are after them, so I was sent to protect them. The Fire Crystal was stolen from its place, so I am also to find the thief who stole it. I was send under the guise of a rogue ninja, as to make sure that the surrounding countries would not be scared and start a war." he explained.

"What was that strange power you just used?" Masato asked curiously.

"Due to my mother's garuda blood, I am what you would call a hanyou. I am only able to scarcely use my abilities, and I get exhausted for using them. But, combined with the powers I gain from Kyuubi, I have fulfilled the conditions known for the 'Child of Destiny.' They say that one who can control the powers of both the angels and demons will be the one to save the world." he answered.

"So that's why Zakon kept calling you 'savior' during our fight." Shisui realized, putting two and two together. Naruto nodded.

"But why didn't you tell anyone this beforehand?" Hinata asked.

"This mission was a confidential one, but seeing as how you all are now involved, I can't leave you out of the loop anymore. I need to find all the Holy Crystals and seal them away in order to make sure that no evil hands will be able to harness their power." he replied. The group looked to each other, nodding in confirmation.

"Well then, count us in." Masato said. Naruto looked up at them in shock.

"W-What?" he asked in astonishment.

"Naruto-san, you've helped me and Umi rescue our friend. It's only right we return the favor." Naito said.

"Besides, after hearing your story, I can't just side by and let these people do as they please." Umi added.

"Don't worry, Naruto-san, I'll help out too. You saved not only Masato but all of us from certain doom. I'm in your debt, so I'm coming with you." Shisui said.

"I've always been on your side, Naruto-kun, so I will make sure to assist you as best I can." Hinata said, smiling lightly.

"You went through a lot just to help me, so I want to help you. That, and I don't think I've proven how capable I am just yet." Masato said, smiling a foxy grin similar to Naruto's. The blonde just smiled in gratitude.

"Everyone.....thank you." he said.

"Now, the only matter is getting the Water Crystal from the alter." Umi said.

"But this is the deepest room in the temple. There's no passage or doorway that leads anywhere else." Shisui pointed out.

"I think I have the answer to that one." Naruto said. Channeling some of his hanyou chakra, he placed his hand on the wall directly behind the alter. It glowed with a soft blue hue before giving way and opening like door, revealing a back room to the temple. Everyone looked in awe, surprised by what they saw.

The room was decorated with light blue and sea green stones, with pools of water on either side of a huge stone alter in the center of the room. The water reflected on the walls of the chamber, the stone glistening in the light of the liquid. Perched in the center of the chamber was a small, blue gem that glowed with a soft aura, seemingly with a soul of its own.

"This place is beautiful...." Umi remarked, awestruck by the majesty of the room.

"But I thought one must prove they are of strong body and sound mind to enter this chamber." Naito said.

"Maybe Naruto's garuda powers automatically grant him privilege to enter?" Shisui offered.

"I don't know, but I'm not complaining. Look, the Water Crystal is right there!" Masato said, pointing out the blue gem on the alter. Naruto ascended the stairs leading up the alter, reaching the platform. Stepping into the blue light, he reached out and took the gem from its resting place. Suddenly, a sharp flash of light blinded them for a moment, causing them to recoil in surprise. When their vision returned, they saw a person standing across from Naruto.

It was a woman with long, violet hair and blue, aqua-colored skin. She wore a blue top with golden shoulder guards, with a long white dress and a purple shall wrapped around her neck. Her piercing green eyes met with Naruto's blue ones. She smiled lightly and let out a melodious laughter.

**"My, my. You must be the Child of Destiny. I've never seen one like you before."** she said.

"Who are you?" Naruto asked her.

**"I am the Water Guardian, Ushuai. I watch over this place to protect it from harm. The fact that you have entered this place tells me that your heart is noble, and your intentions pure. Please, tell me your reason for coming here."** she replied. Naruto bowed respectfully before replying.

"Milady, my friends and I have come here to make sure the Water Crystal, as well as the other Holy Crystals, were collected and sealed away as to avoid a catastrophe. Two evil organizations are seeking their powers. The Fire Crystal has already been plundered from the Hyuga family, whose heir is among us. Please, I beg you, lend us your assistance." he said.

**"Oh dear. Komaru will not be pleased to hear of the Fire Crystal's disappearance. I will lend you my power, but you must agree to the terms of the pact."** Ushuai began, **"Firstly, you must promise to retrieve the Fire Crystal from the clutches of those who wish to use it for evil. Those people must be stopped. Secondly, you must promise that, once the crystals are sealed away, to offer a pray in the name of each element in order to maintain balance in the world's chakra supply. And finally, you must promise to save this world from the evil that threatens it. If you agree to these terms, then you will have my assistance."** she said.

"I, Namikaze Naruto, do accept the terms of this pact, and swear to uphold them to the best of my ability." Naruto replied, bowing in respect. Ushuai nodded before proceeded.

**"Very well. I sense a daughter of the water among you. Please, step forward, young child."** she said. She looked directly at Umi, who nervously stepped forward from the group. The water spirit descended to her, smiling as she did so.

**"Daughter of the water, I ask thy; what is your name?"** she asked.

"S-Shuuha Umi, milady." she replied nervously.

**"Shuuha Umi, I ask of thy, will you accept my blessing?"** she asked.

"...Yes, milady. I humbly accept the gift you bestow upon me." Umi replied. Ushuai took Umi's hands and closed her eyes for a moment. A blue aura engulfed the young girl, who immediately felt a surge of energy and power. As the aura faded, Ushuai opened her eyes once more.

**"Now, you are a true Water Elemental. Please, if more people of the water element join your cause, allow them to see me. I will grant them the same abilities I have granted you."** she urged gently.

"What does this allow, milady?" Umi asked.

**"A blessing with allow you to tap into abilities that you may never have even dreamed of possessing. Similar to how Naruto-sama has his abilities of light, you have the same over water. This blessing will also allow for you to access a new tier of power with the help of a special crest. However, you will not need to worry about that now. I will explain it to you when the time comes. For now, you must hurry if you are to defeat those who threaten this world. I will notify the other guardians to your arrival, as well as the thief of the Fire Crystal. From here, head to the Temple of Wind. Ventus will be waiting for your arrival."** Ushuai explained.

"Thank you for your assistance, milady." Naruto said, having descended from the platform. The six Genin bowed in respect before leaving.

**"I wish you luck on your journey. I will pray for your success."** Ushuai said as she slowly vanished back to her realm.

(Later that day: Mizukage Tower)

The Mizukage nodded in agreement with the story he had just heard. Apparently, the two Konoha ninja had saved the lives of four of his own. For that, he owed a debt of gratitude. Upon seeing Naruto, he knew he had to be Minato's son. There was no doubt.

"Ah, there's the hero who saved four of my valued shinobi! You are the spitting image of your father. Ah, what times we had!" he said in joy. Naruto blushed in embarrassment as Hinata giggled lightly. To be honest with himself, Naruto thought that her giggle was awfully cute.

"Thank you, Mizukage-sama, for listening to our tale." he said respectfully.

"Oh, it's no trouble at all, my boy. I will send a message to the other village leaders to tell them of your story. That should ameliorate that political pressure you feel. I will also notify your Hokage of your progress and that she did a damn good job with you. Just make sure that those four really help you out with your journey. I won't tolerate them slacking off!" he joked. Naruto and Hinata laughed whole-heartedly at his joke.

"Thank you, Mizukage-sama. Also, if I may be blunt for a moment, can you also leave a message for my father? Please tell him that I am unharmed and that I will return home once our journey is though. I do not wish to cause him stress due to my abesence." Hinata requested.

"No problem, little lass. Now, you better get going. Suna is a good two days from here. And there aren't any shortcuts this time either, so you'd better be ready to rough it a little." he replied. The two Konoha Genin nodded in response, smiling as they did so.

"Thank you again for your help. We promise that we'll make it back in one piece." Naruto said, giving his trademark foxy grin and a thumbs-up to the older man.

"I don't doubt it, lad, but good luck anyway! Make sure that this world is a peaceful place for us all!" the Mizukage called out after them as they left.

Naruto and Hinata looked out into the setting sun, a gentle breeze blowing across the field. He unconsciously smiled at her, taking relief in the fact that he was no longer alone in his quest. Not to mention that she had took it all in stride. She did not let any new information she had bother her in the slightest. With the addition of the four Kiri Genin, they had a good chance of succeeding in their mission. His thoughts were interrupted by a shouting voice.

"Yo, c'mon you guys! We're burning daylight!" Shisui called out, waiting down the trail with Masato, Naito and Umi in tow. All of them were packed for an extended trip, ready to fight for the world they all loved dearly. With a quick nod towards Hinata, Naruto took her by the hand and ran towards the group, a smile plastered on his smile.

It was moments like this that made life worth living.

**Wow, it's been a while since I've updated anything. Hehe, oops. Sorry, but life for me has been all kinds of hell in the past few months; friends, school, family, trips, even a funeral. But I'm still alive and (somewhat) sane so I'm updating this story now! Sorry for the wait! **

**Here's your preview: **

"I hope you're not just messing with me, Uchiha." Gaara replied darkly. Sasuke glared back fearlessly, undaunted by his threats.

"I'm telling the truth. I wouldn't travel three days to Suna just to screw with someone's head." he replied.

"So it's true then? Uzumaki really did go rogue?" Temari asked, surprised.

"Yeah, and we have to find him before he gets himself hurt." Sakura said.

"Then we will accompany you. It is the least we could do after what he did for me." Gaara replied. This took Sasuke and Sakura aback a little. Sabaku no Gaara was offering to help them? What had Naruto done before that was so important to him?

Gaara looked away from the two Konoha ninja for a moment, turning to his siblings. They nodded in response, knowing what he was asking. Turning to the ground, he steeled his resolve. _'Uzumaki Naruto....I will help save you, like how you saved me.' _


	3. The Wind Crystal: Treason

**When I'm Gone Chap. 3**

Tsunade couldn't help but smile at the letter she had received from the Mizukage. It was so ironic, she couldn't help herself. Of all the things she had expected, this was not one of them. The letter read:

'Hokage-sama,

I am pleased to tell you that your prodigy, Namikaze Naruto, has succeeded in obtaining the Water Crystal from the temple. He is en route to Suna now, with the Kazekage expecting him to arrive within two days. I notified the other nations in advanced, as to make things a little easier for him. After all, he did save several of my shinobi who now accompany him. Also, the heiress of the Hyuga clan is with him. She requested a message be given to her father, which is enclosed with this letter. You've got a fine young man on the job, Tsunade. I don't believe he'll have any problems with this mission.

Yours truly,

Setsumaru'

"Ah, that boy's a miracle worker, I swear to God....." Tsunade said aloud to herself. She could feel the stress lifting from her like a weight was taken off her shoulders. The difference was very noticeable. Shizune happened to walk into the office at this moment in time.

"Tsunade-sama, the report is in. They finally came to a decision about – woah, what's with you?" she asked, taking note of her superior's newfound cheeriness.

"Nothing, Shizune. Just that something is finally going _right_ for a change!" she announced joyfully. She showed her the letter from the Mizukage, and Shizune joined her in her joy.

"That's wonderful! It looks like Kiri is on our side in this matter." she said.

"Yes, but we can only hope the other nations will understand. Setsumaru is well-liked in the political arena, so perhaps he has helped us win favor with them." Tsunade said.

"I know Naruto and his team will be able to do it. They've got one so far, and it's only been three days since he left! They may very well finish it all before the month ends!" Shizune exclaimed.

"Too bad nothing lasts forever." the Hokage commented. Too bad she was right.....

(One and a half days later: Campsite)

"..so then Sakura ended up smacking him across the face! It was hilarious!" Naruto said, retelling an incident involving Sakura, Konohamaru, two boxes of shampoo and a broken windowsill. The others laughed in enjoyment, an atmosphere of peace around them.

"Wow, I feel so bad for that kid! It wasn't even his fault!" Umi said.

"This Sakura person sounds like a real B-I-T-C-H, if you ask me." Naito commented.

"She isn't like that all the time, though. She can be sweet and thoughtful most of the time." Hinata said.

"Yeah. Now it's to the point where it's like a competition to see who can piss her off enough to make her hit them first." Naruto said.

"Konoha really sounds like a weird place to live." Masato commented.

"Tell me about it. It's like there's a new thing every week!" the blonde shinobi joked.

"Of course, it isn't always just fun and games. We've had to fight some pretty tough opponents before." Hinata said.

"Like those guys in the temple?" Shisui asked.

"Some were like that, but some were even harder." the Hyuga heiress replied.

"Have you ever heard of Momochi Zabuza?" Naruto asked.

"Of course we've heard of him! He's only one of the most famous shinobi from our village ever!" Naito replied indignantly.

"My team fought him and his minions, and won." he revealed. The Kiri Genin looked at him in awe.

"You guys fought Momochi Zabuza and won?!" Shisui exclaimed.

"That's amazing! How did you manage that?" Umi asked.

"....I'm not even sure of what happened. All I know is that I thought Sasuke had gotten killed, I was really pissed off and the next thing I remember is holding his 'killer' by the throat with my fist about to pierce his chest." he replied.

"Jeez, that sounds pretty weird. Maybe it had to do with you being a Jinchuriki and/or a hanyou?" Naito suggested.

"Maybe. But that happened a long time ago, so there's no need to dwell on it." Naruto replied.

"Sorry to change the subject so abruptly, but what do you think is gonna happen tomorrow when we get to Suna?" Umi asked.

"I know a few people there, so I don't think we'll have any trouble." Naruto said.

"Plus, Suna has been a longtime ally of Konoha. I doubt that they'll take this the wrong way." Hinata added.

"I hope so. Kiri and Suna haven't always been on good terms, so I hope nothing bad will happen." Shisui commented.

"Even if something does go wrong, we can handle it. We're not exactly pushovers, you know." Naito said.

"But we should watch ourselves just in case. With those Shadow Knights running around, who knows when we'll have to fight them again? And we may not be as fortunate as we were last time." Hinata warned.

"Hinata-chan is right. If we let our guard down, then we lose. It's that simple." Naruto agreed.

"We should take into account that the way we were divided up was not set by our standards. They focused on us first, so we were at a disadvantage that entire fight." Umi pointed out.

"So not only should we prepare ourselves in future battles, we should also make sure that the units we have with us can effectively fight the enemy. Is that it?" Masato said.

"That's a good point, Umi. But I don't think we can perform too many strategies with a force of six people." Naito said.

"Don't forget, the Konoha 20 is still out looking for Naruto. We're bound to run into them sooner or later. I'm certain that they'll help out once they learn the truth." Hinata said.

"Yeah. Our friends know how to put up a damn good fight, so I don't think we'll have any trouble with them around." Naruto said.

"You also said you knew people in Suna, right? Maybe they could help out as well." Umi said.

"Hey, yeah, you're right! Gaara and his siblings would probably join up with us without any problems!" Naruto said.

"Gaara? Like, Sabaku no Gaara?" Shisui asked.

"The one and only." the blonde replied proudly.

"Woah, _the_ Sabaku no Gaara might help us? That'd be awesome!" the teal haired boy enthused.

"I've heard about him. They say he can crush an entire army with one attack. The mere sight of him is enough to make enemies surrender." Umi said.

"Gaara is a much better person than he used to be. After Naruto helped him out greatly, he's been a powerful ally and a good friend." Hinata said.

"When our friend Sasuke fled the village, he and his siblings came to help us. Some of us wouldn't have made it without their help." Naruto admitted.

"I just hope that nothing goes wrong, and things work out in our favor. Tomorrow, we're going to explore the Wind Temple." Masato said.

"Yeah. It's getting kinda late though. Let's get some sleep." Shisui said. Everyone agreed unanimously. Naruto knew that, when tomorrow came, it was going to be a long day.

(Concurrently: Suna)

Sasuke tossed another book to the side of the table, with Sakura sighing in frustration. They had decided to do some research on the location of the Holy Crystals, but so far they had uncovered nothing.

"We've gone through half the entire library and yet there is no information on the Holy Crystals? What kind of screwed up system is this?!" Sakura complained, reclining back in her chair.

"They say patients is a virtue, Sakura." Sasuke said, attempting to calm his teammate.

"Well my patients is at an end!" she replied, throwing her arms into the air. As Sasuke attempted to once again comb the vast amount of books, the double doors opened to reveal three shinobi that, not too long ago, had nearly killed them both.

"Uchiha? Haruno? What are you doing here?" one boy asked. He had spiky red hair and baby blue eyes. Two dark rings coated the skin around his eyes, demonstrating a lack of sleep. He wore a red jumpsuit outfit, with a white sash wrapped around his torso and hanging in front of and behind him, Fishnet cuffs covered his wrists and ankles. A large tan gourd was also securely placed on his back. This was Sabaku no Gaara, a friend of Naruto's and the container for the One-Tailed Shukaku.

"I had heard emissaries from Konoha had arrived, but I wasn't expecting you two." the girl said. She had sandy blonde hair done in four pigtails in the back of her head, and deep turquoise eyes. She wore a lavender crop-top and a matching skirt, with fishnet covering her abdomen and her calves. She had a red sash wrapped around her waist, along with black leather gloves she wore. She carried a large tessen fan on her back, tucked into the sash. She was Sabaku no Temari, Gaara's elder sister and a master of tessenjutsu.

"I don't know about you two, but I wasn't expecting to find 'em here of all places." the last boy said. He had dark hazel eyes and wore a black puppeteer hat over his dark brown hair. He wore a completely black outfit, save for the fishnet at his ankles. There was a single emblem – two semi-circles, one red and one yellow, next to each other and enclosed in a larger white circle – was sewn into his chest. On his face were various markings made by purple kabuki paint. This was Sabaku no Kankuro, Gaara's elder brother and a master puppeteer.

"Gaara-san! Temari-san! Kankuro-san! You were looking for us?" Sakura asked, rising from her seat. She remembered how the three siblings had assisted them in rescuing Sasuke from Orochimaru, and was eternally grateful for it.

"Yes. We wanted to know the reason why emissaries had arrived. Does Konoha need our assistance?" Gaara asked.

"It's not that. We need information on the Holy Crystals. We have reason to believe that they're the reason why Uzumaki Naruto has fled Konoha." Sasuke replied. There was a stunned silence from the three Suna Genin. The surprise on Temari's and Kankuro's faces was too obvious. Gaara, however, remained passive. But one could see the disbelief in his eyes.

"I hope you're not just messing with me, Uchiha." Gaara replied darkly. Sasuke glared back fearlessly, undaunted by his threats.

"I'm telling the truth. I wouldn't travel three days to Suna just to screw with someone's head." he replied.

"So it's true then? Uzumaki really did go rogue?" Temari asked, surprised.

"Yeah, and we have to find him before he gets himself hurt." Sakura said.

"Then we will accompany you. It is the least we could do after what he did for me." Gaara replied. This took Sasuke and Sakura aback a little. Sabaku no Gaara was offering to help them? What had Naruto done before that was so important to him?

Gaara looked away from the two Konoha ninja for a moment, turning to his siblings. They nodded in response, knowing what he was asking. Turning to the ground, he steeled his resolve. _'Uzumaki Naruto....I will help save you, like how you saved me.' _

(The next morning)

Naruto's party arrived in Suna with excellent timing. There were en route to the Kazekage's Tower in order to discuss their mission and where to find the Wind Crystal. But, focused as they were, they neglected to see the four Genin walking out of a store until....

"AHHHHHHHHHHHH!" Several whacking sounds were heard before the dust cleared. Naruto noted that there were one girl and three boys.

"Why don't you watch where you're going?!" the girl scolded. She had long purple hair and light yellow eyes. She wore a red-orange sleeveless shirt with a black dragon design on her left side and black cargo pants. She wore a pair of red bands around her wrists. A small gold necklace was hanging around her neck.

"We're sorry, we were in a rush. We had an appointment with the Kazekage and we wanted to get there as soon as possible." Masato offered as an apology.

"Kazekage-sama wants to see you? I wonder why." one boy wondered. He had spiky tan hair and crimson red eyes. He wore a short-sleeved brown shirt and a pair of baggy white shorts. He had a silver chain necklace around his neck and wore a pair of black cloth gloves as well.

"Whatever the reason, it must be important. Perhaps we should escort them?" the second boy asked. He was taller than the others, with short light brown hair and muddy brown eyes. He wore a dark beige shirt with black bands around his wrists and white cargo pants. He had a bronze necklace around his neck.

"That'd be a great help! If you wouldn't mind that is." Shisui said excitedly.

"We have to go there ourselves. We've a mission report to hand in." the last boy said. He had bushy, dark green hair and dark orange eyes. He wore a dark green vest over a blue shirt with white leather pants. The crest of his clan – the hazard symbol – was stitched into his shirt in black thread.

"Thank you very much. We should introduce ourselves. I'm Umi, and these are my companions, Naruto-san, Naito-chan, Shisui, Masato-kun and Hinata-san." Umi said, with each person smiling or waving when their name was said.

"Cool. I'm Aisuru Hikari. These are my friends, Arano Kouen and Gunshin Samaru, and my cousin Hora Subaru." the purple haired girl said.

"It's a pleasure to make your acquaintance" Naruto said, shaking Hikari's hand. She smiled at the jester.

"Ditto. Now, c'mon. We'll take you to the tower." she said, leading the way. As they walked, Hinata couldn't help but notice Naruto's ability to interact with people on such a level. He had never demonstrated that back in Konoha. But then again, he never really had a chance to. Samaru apparently noticed her deep in thought.

"Excuse me, Hinata-san? Are you alright?" he asked, concerned. She looked up at him and, shaking off her previous thoughts, smiled at him convincingly.

"Oh yes, I'm alright. Apologies if I worried. My mind was just elsewhere is all. Now, shall we be on our way?" she asked. He nodded and the two walked beside the rest of the group, now enlarged by four.

(Meanwhile: Kazekage's Office)

Gaara and his siblings stood before the Kazekage, with Sasuke and Sakura standing to the side of them. They had just explained their plight, but for some reason he would not allow them to join them.

"But why not? We have an obligation to assist them and yet we do nothing?!" Temari asked, outraged.

"Temari, I suggest that the facts are examined throughly and carefully before conclusions are made. I understand the gratitude you and your siblings feel, but leaping into foreign affairs without the correct provocation or reasoning can land us into a crossroads with other nations. It is imperative that we search this matter for its integrity before such thoughts are made." the Kazekage advised.

"If I may be blunt for a moment, Kazekage-sama." Sakura piped up.

"Yes, child?" he replied.

"We of Konoha are your allies, and this mission was given to us by the Hokage herself. Surely she would not be so foolish to order this manhunt without the proper reasoning?" she said, attempting to convince him.

"That is all fine and good for the affairs of Konoha. But if Suna begins to meddle with things that are not our concern, it will allow an international backlash. And, due to our current state of affairs, we cannot afford such a thing. I'm sorry, but my decision stands." he replied.

"But, Kazekage-sama, please-" Sakura was cut off by a knocking at the door.

"Kazekage-sama, the group Mizukage-sama described has arrived. Shall I send them in?" an assistant said from behind the door. The Kazekage smiled to himself. What perfect timing.

"Yes, please. Send them in. Perhaps this will answer some questions that seem to be unanswered." he said. As the door opened, the five Genin looked in shock as the first person who walked in was none other than Uzumaki Naruto himself.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Naruto knew, the second he walked through the door, that he had just made a big mistake. He had not expected Sasuke and Sakura, much less Gaara and his siblings, to be with the Kazekage. Hinata was just as surprised as he was, her eyes wide. Most of the other Genin, however, remained confused.

"Naruto? Is that...really you? What are you doing here?!" Sakura asked, her anger rising.

"Sakura-chan, please, we can explain why-" Hinata tried to placate her.

"Hinata-chan, you've joined him? You.......you betray Konoha as well?" the pinked haired girl asked, the hurt evident on her face. Sasuke glared at them in anger, ready for a fight.

"You've got five seconds to explain why I shouldn't kick your ass right now, dobe." he said to the blonde.

"For the simple fact that you can't." Naruto replied coldly.

"What is going on here?" Kouen asked, completely confused.

"Kouen? What are you and your squad doing with them?" Kankuro asked them. Kouen and his friends immediately tensed when they realized Gaara and his siblings were there as well.

"K-Kankuro-san! We were just escorting these people to the Kazekage Tower. They said they had a meeting with him." he replied.

"Were you aware that they are missing-nin from Konoha?" Temari asked. The four Suna Genin gasped in shock.

"You guys are....missing-nin?" Hikari asked in surprise.

"No! I mean, not in actuality....." Masato started, but he was cut off by Subaru's rebuttal.

"No matter. If you are missing-nin, then I suppose you'll have to be taken care of." he said, readying himself for combat. Reluctantly, the others did the same. Sasuke and Sakura, as well as Gaara and his siblings, did the same. Naruto's group immediately went on the defensive.

"Listen, we don't want to fight you all. If you give us a chance to explain, then I'm certain we can-" Umi was cut off by Temari's shouting voice.

"No more excuses! It's time for you to pay for your crimes!" she exclaimed, her fan at the ready. Just before the first attack could be launched, the Kazekage had seen enough.

"That is enough! All of you stand down or I will be forced to deal with you all myself!" he exclaimed in anger. His outburst immediately quelled the argument, all fifteen shinobi disarming themselves. With calm once more prevalent, the older man allowed Naruto to speak.

"Now, tell me, son of Yondaime; how has your mission gone so far?" he asked Naruto. He ignored the many stares of shock as he relayed his progress so far.

"The Water Crystal has been successfully retrieved, but the thief of the Fire Crystal still eludes us. The Akatsuki has shown no signs of aggression, but we had engaged the Shadow Knights in a battle in the Water Temple. If it were not for my friends, they would have walked away the victor." he reported.

"Ah, excellent. Tsunade will be pleased with the results. But tell me, why have these people accompanied you?" the Kazekage asked.

"We came with him, sir, because he is our dear friend and we merely wished to help. It was unfair how he was blamed for things that were not his doing and the resulting actions of the villagers of Konoha, and then he was burdened with such a task alone? We just simply could not allow it." Hinata answered, ignoring the surprised stares from Sakura and Sasuke.

"So noble. Apparently, the youth of our world are just and caring, which are rarities in the world of the shinobi." the Kazekage said.

"Wait a moment. Are you saying that Naruto-san and his friends aren't missing-nin after all?" Samaru asked.

"And what is this mission that you spoke of?" Gaara asked.

"The Hokage, Tsunade, had sent Naruto out under the guise of a missing-nin due to three unique abilities – his powers as a Jinchuriki, his powers as a hanyou, and his own natural abilities – to retrieve and protect the twelve Holy Crystals, which are currently being targeted by two separate organizations. He had retrieved the Water Crystal only two days ago, and the Mizukage sent word of his mission to the various village leaders in order to make the journey less stressful for the lad. Once we learned he was the son of the late Yondaime Hokage, we felt indebted to assist him.

You see, while he was an enemy to some, he did his best to assist all nations. For that, we respected him throughout the world. But, of course, there were those who wished vengeance upon him. In order to protect his children, he gave them their mother's surname and sent two of them to different villages. The only reason Naruto stayed in Konoha was due to the Kyuubi being sealed inside him. And with his mother being of garuda blood, Naruto and his siblings would be hanyou of the almighty and holy garuda clan, with all the abilities pertaining thereto.

So lay down your arms and rejoice at your reunion. The boy's heart before you is no different than how you remember it."

No sooner had he said that then had Sakura embraced her blonde teammate in a loving hug. She wept on his shoulder, muttering apologies for accusing him falsely and her harsh treatment of him. Sasuke merely smiled and pat him on the shoulder in a friendly gesture. Hinata let out a breath of relief as the tension in the room immediately diffused itself.

"Wow.....that's some deep stuff." Kouen remarked, with his friends nodding dumbly in agreement. Temari and Kankuro happily smiled as Gaara relaxed himself. Naruto's joyful smile spoke paragraphs of grateful emotions, but none so more prevalent that the pure relief that entered his features. The Kazekage cleared his throat, once more garnering the attention of the room.

"Now that that's over, we have some business to take care of. Gaara-san, I would like for your squadron to accompany Naruto-san on his journey. With the force of seven Genin, I'm certain the battles ahead would be much safer." he said. Gaara nodded in response.

"Hai, Kazekage-sama." he replied.

"As for the location of the Wind Temple, it is perched atop the acropolis overlooking the village. Be warned, as monstrous creatures roam the area around the temple entrance. Once inside, it is a matter of finding the crystal without angering the guardian. I'll allow you to handle it, as you've done it before. But use extreme caution. Dark creatures have been on the rise lately, most likely due to the disturbance of the Holy Crystals. They are not to be taken lightly, so watch yourselves." he warned.

"Thank you Kazekage-sama. We will make sure to return victorious." Naruto replied respectfully. With that, the group left the office all at once. Once they were gone, the Kazekage reclined in his chair and massaged his aching temples.

"He's Minato's son all right; he gives me a migraine like he did." he said aloud.

(Later: Sandy Trail)

The wind blew wildly, kicking sand up from the ground and creating a small sandstorm that hindered the group's visibly. They wore cloaks around their bodies in order to protect themselves from the storm.

"Sandstorms like this always come and go here, but for some reason this one seems stronger that the others...." Kouen said thoughtfully.

"Let's hope that isn't a bad omen." Masato replied.

"What do you think he meant when he said 'dark creatures?'" Sakura asked.

"I think he meant the monsters that supposedly serve the generals of hell. They come in all shapes and sizes, and the weakest of them is stronger than any common man." Hikari explained.

"In short, they're not something you wanna mess with." Kankuro added, smirking slightly. A gust of wind kicked up more sand, forcing some of them to shut their eyes in agitation.

"Man, this wind is so strong! Now I know why this is the Wind Country." Shisui remarked, shielding his eyes from the sand.

"The vast deserts prove to be an invaluable natural barrier to stave off foreign attacks. It's the reason why there's hardly ever been a battle in the village." Gaara explained.

"While a small group could make the trip, having an entire army cross these deserts would be perilous. Not to mention that the men would be exhausted by the time they made it to the village, so it's not like there'd be much of a fight against the well-rested and equipped Suna ninja." Subaru added.

"It's a more definite way of protection." Samaru offered.

"Well it's definitely effective." Naito commented. Hinata suddenly stopped in her tracks, looking straight ahead of them. The others stopped shortly after, looking to her for guidance.

"What is it, Hinata-chan?" Naruto asked.

"I see.....these weirds creatures. They're at the top of the acropolis. They have chakra, but it's so....dark and corrupted. I've never seen anything like this. They look sort of like werewolves, but they're about the size of a child. I can see large claws and teeth, but other than that I can't tell if they have some other weapon of some kind." she reported.

"Those must be the desert wolves. They're a desert-specialized wolf-like creature that prowl around the sands of the country searching for fresh meat. They are variants of the desert wolf, but they aren't native to this area." Hikari said.

"You sure seem to know a lot about monsters and demonology." Umi said.

"It's best to know these things, God forbid you ever had to face them. Fortunately, it seems all my studies are going to pay off." she said, looking up towards the top of the platform.

"Are there any other monsters that we should be worried about?" Sasuke asked.

"Well, there are only two other species that live around here. The first are the sand hawks, these big, hawk-like things with razor sharp talons and powerful beaks to peck at you. And the second would be the archalons, which are about the size of a large dog and look like a chicken with an alligator's jaw. They're really nasty." she replied.

"We should divide up our group. Some of us stay here to fend off the monsters, while the rest of us venture inside the temple to retrieve the crystal." Temari said.

"There are fifteen of us, so eight will stay to fight and seven will enter the temple. That way, the forces are even enough to operate safely." Naito said.

"But, the question is, who goes where?" Samaru asked. Naruto thought deeply about the situation. Hinata looked up again, a worried look on her face.

"I think we've been spotted. I can see several sand hawks in the air, and the desert wolves are moving towards us. I don't see any archalons yet, but that can change in a few minutes." she reported, prompting Naruto to hurry.

"Alright, here's how we'll do it. Hikari, Naito, Subaru, Samaru, Umi, Kankuro, Shisui and Sasuke will stay out here to fight. Hinata, Sakura, Masato, Kouen, Temari, Gaara and myself will go into the temple and get the crystal. I've supplied each group with a healer and a sufficient amount of force to deal with any issues we may have. Everyone good with this?" Naruto explained. After a chorus of "yes" and "okay," Naruto took his group and quickly made a beeline for the temple.

As soon as they emerged, the monsters went on the attack. But no sooner did the monsters go on the attack than the second group went on a counter attack.

"Ice Style: Glacial Daggers!" Several icicle daggers flew through the air and impaled three desert wolves trailing Naruto's group. Shisui pumped his fist up in excitement, but quickly ducked down to evade the talons of a sand hawk. He quickly threw two kunai towards the bird from behind, stabbing it between its wing. It fell to the ground with one last squawk.

Hikari, taking the chance, began her spell. "_O heavenly light, guide us in our time of need_; Shine!"she called. Several bolts of light crashed down on the hawk monster, effectively killing it. She cheered a little before drawing three shuriken and throwing them into the air, embedding them in the torso of yet another sand hawk.

Naito cut down a wolf in her way, making sure to cover Umi while she cast. "_Gracious wellspring of life, cleanse the dark spirits from this world_; Aqua Jet!" she called. Just before two more wolves could attack, they were crushed by a jet stream of water. The green haired girl smiled at her friend approvingly before slashing down two more wolves that stood before her.

Samaru flipped over five of the wolves while making the hand seals for his jutsu. He landed squarely on his feet and simultaneously released the jutsu. "Wood Style: Forest Root!" he called. Sharp tree roots emerged from the ground and impaled the wolves straight through their chests. Dark blood seeped from their wounds.

Subaru ducked under one of the hawks that had nearly maimed him, gripping the handle of his poleaxe as he did so. He then swung the weapon over his head, cleaving the hawk in two as it attempted to hit him once again. Two more hawks appeared to replace the one killed, swooping downwards in an attempt to gut him. Subaru formed a quick series of hand signs. "Earth Style: Ground Armor." he said. Solid rock encased both his hands and his poleaxe as he knelt down. Standing up, he twirled the axe above his head a few times before throwing it like a boomerang towards the sand hawks. It successfully killed both of them in very....gruesome ways before the bloodied weapon returned to its owner.

Sasuke kicked off the chest of one of the wolves, flipping into the air while making hand seals. "Fire Style: Phoenix Flower Jutsu!" he called. Many small fireball were shot from his mouth and bombarded the wolves below him, killing many of them. As he landed, a long jaw of razor sharp teeth snapped at him, nearly biting into his leg. He realized it was an archalon, waiting in ambush. It's dusty brown feathers allowed it to blend into the sand scape. Channeling chakra into his arm, he charged at the monster with a strong vigor. His hand held what looked like a bolt of lightning, which he thrust forward through the beast's chest. "Chidori!" he called victoriously. He withdrew his hand from the wound, letting the body drop to the ground.

Kankuro drew two black cards from his pouch. Channeling chakra into them, he threw them both to the ground. "Summoning: Karasu! Summoning: Kuroari!" he called. Two wooden puppets emerged from the ground where the cards had landed, with chakra strings attaching their joints and Kankuro's fingers. Three desert wolves and two archalons were headed for him, thinking him easy prey. With a flick of his wrist, Karasu fired several kunai from its mouth that shot down two of the wolves easily. Kuroari flew towards the three remaining monsters, with razor blades on all fours of its arms. It hugged one of the archalons, killing it with ease. Before the remaining archalon could attack, Karasu stabbed its head with a blade concealed in its wrist. Kankuro smirked as his puppets made quick work of the remaining wolf, shredding it to nothingness.

"Man, these things just keep coming!" Shisui said as he cut through another wolf. Naito nodded in agreement, stabbing her sword through an archalon.

"At this rate, we're gonna run out of energy before they run out of troops!" she said. A blast of light blinded her for a moment, only for her to realize it was Hikari casting a spell.

"Monsters tend to travel in large packs. I think we're about a quarter of the way finished with them all." she reported.

"Only a quarter!? Jeez, you'd think that they'd get the memo after a while!" Shisui announced. Subaru kicked away a desert wolf, hitting in straight in the head.

"I don't suspect this battle will get any easier anytime soon." he said to them.

"We just have to make sure they don't enter the temple. Otherwise, Naruto and the others will have one helluva fight on their hands." Samaru agreed.

"I just hope they're okay...." Umi said.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Naruto's group managed to easily get to the center of the temple, traversing a single straight path down. Naturally, this made them incredibly suspicious of what they would find at the center. Cautiously, they searched the room for the crystal, which was no where in sight.

"Naruto-kun, I can't seem to find anything." Hinata reported, her Byakugan active. Naruto let out a dismayed sighed.

"I see. Thanks Hinata-chan." he replied. She nodded in reply, but then sharply turned her head in the direction they had entered from.

"I think we have company." she said. Her words had them all prepare for a fight. A tense moment passed before a fireball was launched from the shadows. Gaara used his sand to form a shield, successfully blocking the attack. However, an unexpected burst of water caught him off guard and knocked him to the ground.

"Gaara! Are you alright?" Temari asked in concern. He silently nodded, standing back up.

"Hm.....two Jinchuriki now? I wasn't expecting Suna to join up with the savior." a female voice resounded.

"That just means more fun for us." a second voice, also female, replied. Three figures emerged from the shadows. The woman who had just spoken was, apparently, also the one who attacked Gaara. She had blonde hair done in a ponytail and green eyes, wearing a turquoise green tunic under a dark blue cape.

The other woman had dark brown hair that reached her mid-back and bright yellow eyes. She wore a red tube top and white denim shorts, with fishnet covering her arms and legs. A sword was tucked at her side.

The third person was a young boy about Naruto's age. He had dark orange hair and cerulean blue eyes. He was wearing a long cloak that covered most of his body, save his head, making it impossible to discern what he was wearing underneath. However, they could tell that he seemed reluctant to even be there.

"You must be part of the Shadow Knights." Sakura commented.

"Correct, little girl. Now, prepare yourselves. Otherwise, this fight will be so boring." the brown haired woman said. The blonde woman then fired several fireballs from her hand, evidently from a spell she had cast without their knowing. The seven shinobi dodged quickly, readying themselves for battle.

"Naruto-san! Go on ahead and get the crystal! We'll handle things here!" Kouen urged, drawing his sword.

"He's right, Naruto-kun. Our top priority is to ensure that the Holy Crystals are safe from harm. You must hurry!" Hinata agreed. Naruto frowned in discontent, but nodded in response.

"Alright. I'll leave them to you." he replied. Turning on his heel, he ran deeper into the temple. The brown haired woman glared at him from behind.

"Cali, stop him!" she commanded her sage partner. The blonde woman, now named Cali, summoned a torrent of water to trail the blonde. However, before it could impact it, several blades of wind cut into it and forced it to disperse. Temari rounded her fan on her enemies, releasing a great gale of wind that slammed Cali against the stone wall behind her.

"Karla, don't just stand there!" Cali yelled at the brunette. Karla smirked evilly.

"These guys just might wheat my appetite." she said, drawing her sword. Kouen nodded in response.

"Very well then. I'll take you on!" he called out. At speeds nearly invisible to the naked eye, he had slammed his blade against hers in a fierce display of power. She parried and forced him back, but he merely pivoted on his heel and brought his sword around from the side. She jumped back to dodge, the edge of Kouen's sword making a small scratch along her stomach.

Cali, in the meantime, had risen and was casting yet another spell. However, before she could unleash it, sand rose from the ground and surrounded her limbs. She struggled against Gaara's sand, attempting to break free of the hold it had on her. Suddenly, a burst of water forced the sand away from her, allowing her to continue her spell. Cali fired a bolt of fire towards Gaara, but a quick breeze from Temari's fan steered it off course. Taking advantage of the confusion, Sakura charged chakra into her fist and slammed it into the ground, creating a fissure that tumbled both Cali and Karla.

Karla caught herself and flipped to the side before Kouen could impale her to the ground. However, she found herself caught off guard by Masato's wind blade, which knocked her to the ground with a thud. She was once more forced to dodge when Hinata attempted to strike her from above. The floor cracked from the force of Hinata's attack, leaving Karla thankful that she had managed to move in time. Kouen flashed through several hand seals before unleashing his jutsu.

"Wind Style: Tempest Gale!" he called. Several tempests of gale force winds erupted from the air, slamming into Karla and Cali and knocking them to the ground. The dust kicked up from the attack momentarily paused the battle, with the tensity of the fight hanging heavy in the atmosphere.

"Raging Torrent!" Cali called. A large torrent of raging water erupted from the dust, hitting and knocking down Sakura and Temari. Before anyone else could react, Karla had appeared beside Kouen and kicked him upside the head. She then pivoted around and landed her elbow in Masato's gut. Cali sent another wave of fireballs towards Gaara, who managed to summon his sand shield to deflect the blast. However, he was caught off guard by Karla's attack. She coated her blade in chakra and sliced straight through his shield, knocking him away in the process. Hinata jumped up to attack Karla from behind, but a quick fireball from Cali sent her sprawling to the ground.

During all the confusion, no one had noticed that the boy had disappeared deeper within the temple....

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Naruto had reached the inner sanctum of the temple, but no crystal was to be seen. Figuring it was similar to the Water Temple, he searched for a hidden room or altar. He placed his hand on the stone wall, trying to find some sort of switch. He closed his eyes in concentration, letting his chakra flow into the wall. Suddenly, he could see through it, his chakra acting as a lens. He pulled his hand away, opening his eyes and smirking as he did so.

"Found it. Now I just need to find a way inside." he remarked.

"I'm afraid....I can't allow that." a somewhat melancholy voice replied. Naruto turned around to see the boy in the cloak behind him. He drew his sword in anticipation of a fight. The boy seemed hesitant to fight.

"Is there any way I can convince you to leave this place without fighting?" he asked, a sad look in his eyes. Naruto paused for a moment, his confusion evident on his face. Why would his opponent not want to fight? Especially if he was here in the first place?

"I'm afraid there isn't. The fate of the world is at stake, and I can't let you endanger it any further!" Naruto announced, his sword at a ready position.

"I was afraid you'd say that...Then I suppose I have no choice..." the boy replied. Then, Naruto noticed something that he hadn't before. There was a small shine coming from underneath the boy's cloak, due to the light of the torches in the room.

"Wait a minute....you're wearing shackles?" Naruto asked incredulously. The boy seemed to wince in remembrance of a bad event from the past.

"If....If I helped the Shadow Knights stop you, then I'd be set free. That's what they promised. And I need to get to my sister, or......" he stopped talking for a moment, but Naruto could see the tears beginning to well up in his eyes. Naruto lowered his sword, feeling no desire to fight this boy.

"They're just using you. They took you prisoner and now they're just taking advantage of you." he stated. It was not a question, but the boy nodded anyway.

"My sister is ill....if it goes on for much longer, then she'll eventually die. She's always taken care of me, ever since our parents died, and now it's my turn to return the favor. So, I need to finish you, and make sure that I can save her. I'm so sorry." he replied, getting ready to fight. However, Naruto refused to lift his sword.

"C'mon. There's no reason to back down now." the boy said, taking a standard taijutsu stance. The blonde merely shook his head.

"Yes there is! Imagine what would happen if you died here. Then your sister wouldn't have anyone to help her. She'll die alone, wondering where her little brother was while she was sick and dying." he said. He knew he had struck a cord, as the expression on the boy's face immediately became one of pain and sadness. "Let us help you. I'm sure we'll find a way without anyone having to die." Naruto said reassuringly. The boy stopped for a moment, gathering his thoughts. A tense moment passed before he stood tall.

"My name is Kamizaru Soan. I am fourteen years old and a Chunin of Taki. And today, I will betray the Shadow Knights in favor of justice." he said with a small smile. Naruto let out a sigh of relief.

"Now, you have a crystal to retrieve. I'll go help out the others." Soan said.

"Right. But first, hold out your wrists." Naruto urged. Soan, having a feeling he knew what the blonde had in store, wasted no time in revealing his shackles to him. With a quick sword stroke, the chains were broken in two and the cuffs fell to the floor in a shattered heap.

"Thank you, Namikaze-san." Soan replied.

"Please, just call me Naruto." Naruto replied. The Taki boy nodded.

"Okay, Naruto-san. We both have a job to do, so let's get to it." he replied. Naruto nodded in response, then returned to the wall as Soan ran back to the other room.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Sakura was knocked to the floor yet again, the sting of Karla's punch still painfully evident on her cheek. It hadn't taken long for her to realize that the two were merely holding back earlier, but now that was not the case. Not by a long shot.

She watched as Kouen attempted to attack her from behind, but was merely knocked away with a quick chakra blade from Karla. Cali had also washed Temari and Masato away once more using water spells on a much higher tier than previous displayed.

"I wonder where that kid went? He's missing all the fun." Cali wondered aloud in regards to their third 'teammate.' Karla merely shrugged in response.

"I dunno, but who cares? He's not our problem." she replied.

"I am now!" a shout responded. Before either of them could react, a steel gray gauntlet made contact with Karla's face, knocking her into the wall on the far side of the room. The mysterious attacker then rounded on Cali, performing an aerial kick that was worthy of Rock Lee's expertise. The older sage cried out in pain as her head slammed into the stone floor beneath her.

Masato looked up, sensing the new chakra presence, and was surprised to see that the boy who they had assumed was their teammate had attacked them out of no where. Needless to say, the two females were pissed beyond belief.

"You little bastard! You dare betray us!?" Cali shouted in anger.

"In all fairness, I was never on your side!" the boy replied, taking a taijutsu stance that was all too familiar to them. _'That's Lee-kun's stance!'_ Sakura thought in realization. The boy threw off his cloak, revealing his outfit to the world. He wore a red long-sleeved shirt with silver sweatpants, with armor plating around his torso. He wore a steel gauntlet on each hand and wore metal gray boots that reached his ankles. It was obvious he specialized in hand-to-hand combat. He wore a Taki headband around his waist, tied securely where his shirt and pants met. His musculature stature was prominent from the way his shirt stuck to his body, something the females took to notice.

"Who are you?" Kouen managed to ask.

"My name is Soan. Thanks to Naruto-san, I've seen the error in my cowardice ways and I'm here to make amends. I'll start by killing these two miserable excuses for human beings." the boy replied, his deathly glare on his enemies.

"You? Kill us? Ha, that's a laugh!" Karla said in amusement. She wasn't laughing when Soan's fist connected with her gut and pinned her against the wall. The stone cracked even further from the impact of the blow, to the point where Hinata was questioning the structural integrity of the wall.

"We can't just sit here and watch. Let's help out!" Masato called out to the others, who all hastily agreed. Cali brought out her tome, but was quickly neutralized by Temari's fan. Kouen and Masato flashed through hand seals quickly, both performing the same jutsu.

"Wind Style: Sonic Burst!" they called. A burst of air traveling at sonic speeds came from both boys and slammed into the older sage, knocking her to the ground once more. She also sustained some bruises and lacerations. Before she could move, Gaara's sand rose from the ground and encased her.

"You're not going anywhere." the young Jinchuriki said. Then, with a quick movement of his wrist, he flung Cali against the wall and held her there with his sand.

Meanwhile, Soan had released Karla and had nimbly dodged her sword. In frustration, she added chakra to the mix again, but she had not anticipated Hinata's Jyuuken neutralizing it. All at once, Sakura, Soan and Hinata landed a punching blow to her abdominal area. She hacked up blood as she flew across the room, knocking over a column before finally resting on the ground. Blood was pouring from the wounds on her back, as well as her side and a long gash on her cheek. She coughed more as she struggled to stand.

"D-Dammit....I underestimated them again....." she muttered. Cali suddenly burst from her prison once more, then sped past the group and took Karla in her arms. The blonde sage turned to the group with a venomous glare.

"You won this time. But next we met, you won't be so lucky." she warned. Then, without warning, the two Shadow Knights disappeared in a puff of smoke. Kouen let out a breath of relief he had subconsciously been holding.

"That was close." he admitted.

"It was a tough fight, but we made it through." Masato remarked. Hinata turned to Soan, who wore a small smile on his face.

"Thank you for helping us, Soan-san." she said gratefully. He smiled at her warmly.

"It wasn't a problem. But for now, I think Naruto-san could use your help. He seemed to be having trouble finding that crystal thing." he suggested. The other agreed, and they made their way deeper into the temple.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Sasuke was breathing heavily. The monsters just kept coming in a wave that had no end in sight. He took a quick look around to survey his allies. Umi and Naito were doing well, but it was painfully obvious that both were exhausted, and Shisui was beginning to slow in his movements. Hikari had taken a few scratches, but was otherwise doing better than the other two. Subaru had a long gash on his left leg while Samaru had been scratched along his chest by a desert wolf, but they were still able to fight. Kankuro had managed to come away with the least number of injuries, but Sasuke could tell his chakra was beginning to run out. He cut down another wolf with his kunai, his own wounded arm hurting him slightly.

_'Dammit. Naruto, you better hurry the hell up in there.' _

_- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - _

Naruto heard the sound of sandals hitting stone and knew that his friends had won. He turned to greet them, only to gawk at the injuries some of them had sustained. Deciding not to ask questions, he only congratulated them on their victory.

"It was tough, but Soan-san came at the right time." Masato reported.

"Good. I think the crystal is sealed behind this wall, but I can't find an opening." the blonde relented.

"Did you try blowing the wall up?" Kouen asked.

"That would risk damaging the crystal. Not to mention it would probably piss off the guardian as well." Naruto replied. Suddenly Hinata snapped her fingers in realization.

"Naruto-kun, remember what Ushuai said in the Water Temple? She was going to tell the other guardians of our arrival. Perhaps if we were to call out for the guardian to appear, then maybe he would open the way." she suggested.

"You have a point there Hinata-chan." Naruto agreed.

"Yeah, but do we truly want to risk our chances on the appearance of a spirit who may not bother to show up?" Temari asked.

"It's risky, but do we have a choice? The more time we waste in here, the worse it gets for the others outside. We have to do something!" Naruto replied.

"He's right. We have to hurry before someone gets really hurt." Kouen added.

"Sakura, Gaara, Soan, you three go out to help the others. The rest of us will stay here to try and find the crystal." the blonde boy ordered. They hastily agreed, then filed out of the room. Masato turned to Naruto confused.

"Why did you send only them and not us?" he asked.

"You three are wind elementals, so I figured that the wind guardian would feel safer if you were still present. And Hinata-chan's here because she had the Byakugan. I would've sent you all out to fight if I thought otherwise." he replied.

"Smart plan, but do you think it'll work?" Temari asked.

"I hope so." Naruto replied. Suddenly, Hinata pointed towards the top of the wall.

"Up there! There's a weak spot in the wall! If we can strike that spot, then it'll crumble enough to let us pass. And judging by the angle the spot is at, the wall will just fall flat to the ground, so the crystal is in no danger." she reported.

"I got this." Temari said, smirking superiorly. With a quick flick of her wrist, she sent a gust of wind towards the spot with her fan. Within moments, the wall crumbled just as Hinata reported, revealing the hidden altar in the room.

"Awesome job, girls!" Naruto said to the two ladies. The five entered the room, unaware of what awaited them. The altar was very similar to the one in the water temple, save for the greenish hue rather than a blueish hue. Floating at the top of the altar was the Wind Crystal, encased in a strange light just like the Water Crystal before it.

**"Ah, so you've finally arrived!"** a voice boomed. The five teens immediately went on guard, searching for the source of the voice.

"Who are you?" Kouen asked. A hearty laugh answered him.

"Dear boy, you seem to not be schooled in the knowledge of spirits. Allow me to enlighten you!" the voice said again. Suddenly, in a flash of light, a figure appeared before them. He was a tall man, strong and muscular, who appeared no older than twenty-two. He wore a green vest that revealed his chest and torso, with a brown leather belt around his waist and black cargo pants. He had shaggy brown hair and steel gray eyes. However, his most surprising feature was the pair of hawk wings on his back.

**"I am Ventus, guardian of the Wind Crystal and this temple. I assume that you are the group that Ushuai told me about?"** the spirit questioned.

"Yes. I am Namikaze Naruto, and these are my companions." Naruto said in a formal tone. Ventus merely laughed in a good-nature way.

**"There are no need for formalities, boy. You had agreed to the pact with Ushuai, so I know that you are truthful. And, as I can see it, three of you are children of the wind. Now, this just makes my job a lot easier! Naruto-san, you may take the crystal of its place of rest, so long as it remains in one piece. I don't have any qualms about lending you my power so long as that stone remains intact."** Ventus said.

"I understand. Thank you." the blonde replied. As he went to take the crystal, Ventus examined Temari, Masato and Kouen.

**"Hmm....you three seem strong enough. Alright then! I hereby bestow my blessings upon these three children of the wind!"** he called out. Suddenly, the trio was engulfed in a bright light, and a strange power was instilled within them. Once the light faded, Ventus had vanished and Naruto had the crystal in his hand.

"Well....that was interesting." Hinata commented. The others merely nodded in agreement. Suddenly, Ventus' voice echoed out again.

**"Okay now, I'm assuming you're going to the Steel Crystal next? The temple is not too far from here; only about a half-day's walk. However, Justinian is not a very trusting person by nature. Hopefully, myself and Ushuai can convince him, but for now head south of here to get to the Steel Temple."** he advised them.

"Thank you, Ventus-sama!" Kouen called out to nothingness.

**"No prob."** And with that, Ventus' presence disappeared. Naruto turned to his friends.

"Now that that's done and over with, let's head out." he said. They agreed without a second thought. Temari couldn't help but laugh to herself. That was one of the oddest experiences of her life!

_- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - _

Just as Sakura, Gaara and Soan reached the exit, the battle seemed to stop in it's tracks. The monsters suddenly began to retreat, with the archalons and desert wolves disappearing into the sand while the sand hawks flew off into the sky.

"What just happened?" Samaru asked, confused.

"I've not the slightest idea." Subaru replied, just as confused as his teammate.

"Hey, they're gone so I'm not complaining." Naito said, laughing a little.

"Oh thank goodness you're all alright!" Sakura said relieved. This brought attention to herself and her group.

"Sakura-chan! Are you okay? Did you get the crystal?" Shisui asked in anticipation.

"I'm fine, and so is everyone else. We came out to help, but apparently that isn't needed anymore." Sakura replied.

"And we've got the crystal right here." Temari's voice said as the other five emerged from the ruins. Naruto held the green crystal in his hand for the others to see.

"So this is one of the Holy Crystals...." Kankuro said, looking at the jewel in Naruto's hand.

"Yeah, but our mission is far from complete. We have two, the Shadow Knights have one and the Akatsuki have none. There are still nine of them out there, and we need to get to them first." Naruto replied.

"But for now, let's get some rest. I'm bushed, and I'm certain the rest of you are way worse off than I am." Soan suggested. Some of the others laughed in agreement.

"Soan has a point. Alright then, let's return to the village." Naruto said. With that, the group made its way towards the village, another victory under their belts.

(Later: Suna Hotel Room)

"Thanks for letting me stay here with you guys, Naruto-san." Soan said gratefully as he settled into bed.

"It's not a problem. Besides, I figured that explaining things to you would be easier if we could sit down and relax as well." Naruto offered.

"Smart thinking. Man....I can't believe I'm a part of this whole thing." the orange haired boy said in amazement.

"That's what I thought at first, too. But after I got the Water Crystal, it just seemed like it was actually possible. Not to mention that the Shadow Knights were hell-bent on killing me that time." the blonde replied.

"I won't be able to stay with your group long, though. My sister is still sick and bedridden, so I can't abandon her." Soan said with a hint of regret.

"Hey, don't sweat it. Your sister comes first, especially when she's so sick. You can come with us until we're closer to Taki. Then you're free to go." Naruto said.

"Thanks. I'll help you however I can til then." he replied.

"That'll be a big help, thanks. I heard about how you took down those two girls earlier and, I gotta say, I'm impressed." Naruto said.

"Haha, well, I didn't make Chunin by studying ninjutsu all my life. Practice makes perfect, like I always say." Soan replied, smiling lightly.

"Well, it's getting kinda late, so let's get some sleep. G'night." Naruto said, turning out the light and settling into his bed.

"Good night." Soan said, yawning tiredly. Within moments, both boys were snoring rather loudly in their separate beds.

(Concurrently)

"Man, I was not expecting anything like that today." Kouen remarked to his teammates.

"Tell me about it! One minute we're getting supplies, and the next we're fighting monsters in a battle to determine the fate of the world!" Hikari said, flailing her arms above her head.

"It certain was quite the experience. And something tells me that more await us in the future." Subaru commented. Hikari rolled her eyes in boredom.

"Jeez, Subaru, you are such a stick in the mud! Lighten up a little!" she playfully chastised her cousin. Subaru merely scoffed and ignored her. Before she could blow her top, Samaru cut into the conversation.

"Yeah, it was kinda weird. But now we're involved in something that may very well save the world. We can't afford to hold the rest of them back, so we can't hold back ourselves. We've gotta give it everything we have!" he announced with an enthusiastic vigor.

"Samaru is right! We've gotta do our best and make sure that we don't become a burden!" Hikari said, equally exuberant as her teammate. Kouen only laughed at his teammates, but agreed with their sentiment.

"Some things will never change." he said to himself.

(Concurrently)

Sakura sat out on the balcony, looking out into the moonlit night. A gentle breeze swept through the area, gently combing her bubble-gum pink hair. The moonlight illuminated her pale, porcelain skin, which in turn brought out her vivid emerald green eyes. The events of the day flashed through her mind in rapid order. It was so confusing, but it would make sense in time. For now, though, she was content sitting out under the moonlight and looking up at the many stars in the sky.

"Sakura? What are you doing here?" she heard an all too familiar voice ask from behind her. She turned to see the object of her affections standing by the door.

"Oh Sasuke-kun. Nothing, I'm just stargazing is all." she replied.

"Since when do you stargaze?" the Uchiha asked.

"Since I was a little girl. I always used to go out during the summer nights with my older brother and watch the stars. I guess I've done it so much that it's become a habit." she answered.

"Your brother? You have a brother?" Sasuke asked. Apparently, this was all news to Sasuke. Admittedly, though, he never really bothered to get to know her before this whole mess started. He had always just shrugged her off as another one of his annoying fangirls. However, now he was beginning to see a completely different side of her that he had never seen before. She seemed to recoil in sadness after he asked that question.

"Yeah. But he's been M.I.A for nearly five years now. If he's still alive, then I think he may have run away from home." she admitted.

"Run away? Like a rogue ninja?" he asked.

"Sort of. You see, my brother and my father never truly got along. Father always wanted to have him follow in his footsteps, and didn't really care too much for his personal wishes. The day before he went on that mission, he and Father had a huge fight. I'm just glad they didn't kill each other. My brother was only a Chunin, but talk was going around about a Jonin nomination. But I've thought for a while now that my brother merely wanted to get away from a father who didn't care about his feelings." she explained.

"I.....see...." Sasuke said. The similarity between Sakura's older brother and Itachi was uncanny. Both had bad relationships with their fathers, and their younger siblings were often worried about them. Sakura noticed the tone of Sasuke's voice and adopted a look of concern.

"Sasuke-kun? Are you okay?" she asked. He was broken from his reverie by her voice.

"Yeah, I'm alright. Just thinking about something. Anyway, I'm certain your brother is at peace, wherever he may be." he replied. She smiled warmly at his remark.

"I hope so. Thank you, Sasuke-kun." she replied. There was a twinging feeling inside Sasuke that he just couldn't make go away when she said that. It was almost as if a young child had just asked you for a bite of food to eat. Was it sympathy? Compassion? Concern? He just couldn't make it out – or ignore it.

"Uh....your welcome." he replied somewhat awkwardly. Before Sakura could question him about his bizarre behavior, he had disappeared back into the building. She shrugged to herself and returned to her stargazing.

"Satoshi-nii-san, wherever you are, I hope you're happy." she prayed.

**Okay then, Chapter 3 is finished! Man, a lot of new OCs in this chapter, but don't worry. This is about the biggest adding of characters at once in this saga, so you'll get them down eventually. Now, don't expect an update for at least another two weeks, since I'm going on vacation come Monday and I'll be way too busy packing tomorrow to get much work done on Chap. 4. But, I still have your preview right here: **

Konohamaru looked at Hanabi as though she had lost her mind.

"You want to go in there?! Are you crazy?!" he half-asked, half-shouted at her. She merely nodded and ventured inside the abandoned factory, leaving him alone.

"H-Hey! Don't leave me out here!" he shouted at her in protest, following her inside. However, he knew that he would regret that decision eventually.

"Be on your guard. We don't know what else is here." Hanabi warned him. She knew he had begun to have the feeling of being watched as well.

"I-I know that!" he replied indignantly. The further inside they went, the stronger the feeling of being watched became. Strange sounds only added to the paranoid, and soon the two were jumping at every little thing.

"M-Maybe coming in here wasn't such a good idea...." Konohamaru offered.

"Maybe....." Hanabi was tempted to agree, but didn't for the sake of her ego. At once, they heard a low growling sound.

"Konohamaru-kun....please tell me that was your stomach." the Hyuga girl pleaded. He slowly shook his head. Suddenly, a loud howl resounded from the shadows. Their screams were heard echoing in the night.....


End file.
